Dress for less - Oasis

Oasis by Velony on Polyvore.com

Items in this set:
Oasis Leather| Bright Blue..., 150 EUR
Oasis Boots| Black Roxy..., 106 EUR
Oasis Leather| Dark Grey..., 100 EUR
Oasis Partywear| Black..., 62 EUR
Oasis All Dresses| Deep Blue..., 56 EUR

I've only recently come across the UK brand Oasis and its online store. The concept is pretty similar to Topshop only with a slightly higher price point and a more mature style. They have both trendy items and basics, shoes, jewellery and handbags. I like that some of the items look pretty expensive. You can also find designer inspired items. I found a Balmain-esque dress with shoulder pads, YSL tribute knock offs, KJL-ish ring, Phillip Lim inspired ruffle cardi, a faux suede and shearling drapy jacket in the style of Rick Owens and the denim blue suede biker jacket somehow reminds me of Alexander Wang.

If you live in the EU, you can easily order from their website. Shipping is only 10€. While most of the online stores are based in the US and shipping fees are high plus you get charged customs fees, this is a great alternative and also a nice change from Topshop.

Outfit post

I was looking for a high waisted pair of suede shorts for quite some time now. I actually thought the perfect pair would be vintage but it's kinda hard to tell how they fit from pics alone and not having the chance to try them on in person doesn't really help (I'd have to buy them online). So I was very happy when I found these Weekday ones for a very resonable price too.

I can already see many different outfits. They would look good with a blazer and boots.
details: striped shirt: H&M, cardi: Express, shorts: Weekday, tights: Urban Outfitters, sandals: Divided Exclusive

Pick the bucket!

This type of handbag is anything but new. In fact there are several vintage styles of this around atm. Chanel's bucket bag might be the most famous. I've noticed that they've made a comeback. I've seen everywhre from Urban Outfitters to ASOS to Miss Selfridge.

All of these bags are slouchy bucket styles with a drawstring. Thye seem so versatile. While they are big enough to hold everything from make-up bags to wallets, they are not too big and can easily transition from day to night and function as evening bags aswell.

Here's a selection to choose from. It's entirely up to you if you select a classic black one or a cream one with studs all over. The options are endless.

pics from: ASOS.com, urbanoutfitters.com, missselfridge.com

Zebra on the loose...

I made a pleasant discovery this morning. I went through my closet and found this dress I had almost forgotten about (I hardly wore it. At least I don't remember wearing it often). It's like going shopping in your own closet without having to spend any money.

Animal prints are still big right now so I don't have the feeling that the dress is outdated or anything. It's 100% silk from Zara. I like the A-line shape and bell sleeves. So mod. As it's too cold to just wear it like that I put over a cashmere/silk mix cardigan and suede boots.

I'm sure I'll get much more wear out of this dress now even though it's almost winter.

Did you ever find anything in your closet again that you'd already forgotten about?

fur over leather? how about yes!

Well, a leather jacket is too warm to be worn during the summer, that's for sure. But what if the fall season is already pretty cold and too cold just to wear a leather jacket over a shirt? Here's my take on the leather jacket in the fall/winter: simply wear a (faux) fur vest over it and you are good to go and sure to stay warm.

Details: leather jacket: Rick Owens, faux fur vest: Zara kid's section (from last year), striped shirt: H&M, boyfriend pants: Eryn Brinie, lace ups boots: Marc Jacobs

Ahoi!

Balmain

La Rok

Alice and Olivia

Don't we all remember the iconic chrystal-embellished admirals' jacket by Balmain that came out this spring? It was insane with all its jewells and gems but also insanely expensive retailing for almost 8,000 €. Celebs like Rihanna and Beyonce made it even more famous.

I always liked the idea of a military inspired jacket but with a twist so you can wear it for a night on a town but also during the day with a nice pair of jeans.

I found two affordable alternatives by Alice and Olivia ($550) and La Rok ($368). I actually tried on the first one when I was in New York and regretted not getting it right away because when I returned to Saks the next day it was completely sold out. I checked with the A&O store but they had sold out even months ago. So I kinda gave up the idea until I came across a similar style by La Rok. It's even a little cheaper.

While some may think this jacket is too trendy, I regard it as a timeless piece that is worth to invest in because you'll wear it with everything from denim shorts to evening dresses and for years to come.

pics: Balmain: net-a-porter.com, A+O: chickdowntown.com, La Rok: shopbop.com

What to pack... when going on a trip?

Departure time is almost there. I'm going to the Big Apple tomorrow :-) I've been there so many times but every single time I have to think about what to bring and what not again and again. I think it's good to get organized ahead of time so you don't have to worry about forgetting anything or stress out. Make a list - ficticious or real - if it helps you. I lay every single item on the bed and try out different combinations. Pack only half of what you think you need (especially if you plan on shopping). How many times have I only worn half of the content of my suitcase.

I checked the weather forecast and it's supposed to be cooler (around 18 degrees C) and rainy. That means to take any umbrella and closed shoes or booties. I know I'll be walking around a lot and although I do love my heels I pretty much only packed flats. I'll probably buy one or two nice pairs of heels anyway which I will need when we're going out. For that case I also packed some dressier pants that can easily transition from day to night and sequin leggings and skirt.

My color palette seems pretty plain ranging from heather grey to black but it will be much easier to combine the clothes that way. I took cardigans to wear over dresses for when it's a little cooler. And a must is also a trench coat. Mine is from Polo by Ralph Lauren in a dark blue color. I think every woman should own one as it's a classic and will never go out of style. It will keep me safe from the rain and also warm without being too hot and sweaty.

Shirts are of course also a must. Mine are a bit longer so I can wear over leggings. I'm not a big fan of jeans in general as they are usually too tight and squeeze my tummy but I packed one pair of plain skinny jeans by J Brand.

I'll also take my LV leopard scarf on the plane because it's always chilly with the AC on and I don't want to get sick. It's jst big enough to wear as a pashmina over the shoulders.

What's your travelling wardrobe like? Do you have a favorite piece that you always take with you on your journeys?

Fall/Winter Shoe Wishlist

I noticed that I already started stocking up on fall/winter shoes/boots even though it's still sandal weather over here. I just want to try to get all of the shoes why they last. Some are so popular that they instantly sold out (like the Chloé Sevigny for Opening Ceremony buckle wedge boots).
The Chloé Susan studded booties are not produced anymore and hard to find on ebay these days so I've pretty much given up hope of ever finding them in my size. Office UK made decent knock offs for a fraction of the price so I think I'll just settle for those.
I wanted the famous Sam Edelman Zoe booties for along time. I could still kick myself for not ordering them when they were still available on the Victoria Secret site. Well, at least SE has brought them back and I don't have to pay the horrendous ebay mark ups. Nasty Gal has them available for pre-order.
Jeffrey Campbell has made so many great knock offs of designer shoes like the Ann Demeulemeester lace ups. I'm positive that there is more to come.

Sam Edelman, Jeffrey Campbell, Opening Ceremony, Office UK, Aldo

Talonalia

I was looking for a nice Talon necklace à la Pamela Love for a while. I was stalking Etsy and was hoping to find one but never did. Then I found this great site TALONALIA. The necklaces are exactly what I was looking for and retail for a very reasonable price. They even ship internationally.
You have the choice between 'The Magpie', 'The Sparrow', 'The Owlet' and 'The Owl'. I immediately ordered The Magpie and received it super fast. Very happy with it and couldn't take it off. Might have to order another one soon.

check out: http://talonalia.bigcartel.com

Outfits posts

Apologies: I know I've pretty lazy lately but I also felt a little uninspried. Must be the summer. It was nice and warm lately so I was finally able to wear something more appropriate for the season. The Preen dress you already know. I posted it here a while ago. I wasn't sure if it actually worked with flats and a casual jeans jacket but I was quite content with the result. The b/w outfit looks more like fall. I just can't help it. Black tights and skirts are staples in my closet. I got the white lace top from Beacon's Closet in Brooklyn last year and haven't worn it much. I still like it though. It's vintage.

DIY blazer studding

I finally finished studding the boring H&M blazer I had lying around. I probably wouldn't have worn it anymore as I have nicer black blazers. But it has become a special piece in the style of Balmain now. I know everybody and their mom is studding clothes and showing pics on their blogs. Sorry for not being more creative. It took me forever and a bleeding finger btw. I'm not very patient so I doubt I'll studd more things in the future.

Thanks to Gennie from Maison des Reveries for the inspiration! I don't think I could have done it without your instructions.

I used around 100 1/2" pyramid studs made of nickle/brass I ordered from studsandspikes.com.

Great sale deal

Ok, I'm officially on a bag ban now. I must say I haven't really been interested in a new bag since my YSL Downtown and I still wear it very often. It's a fab bag as it fits all of my stuff (which is a lot) and the leather is nice plus the straps are long enough to fit over my shoulders. But since Alexander Wang's bag line launched I've been in love with every single one from his collection and couldn't decide between the Brenda or Donna hobo (all of them named after 90210 characters).

I decided the Brenda would be a nice change as I already have a Balenciaga hobo with super soft slouchy leather. Then I saw the Coco and once again was in love. But you already know the story from a previous post. It hasn't shipped from NYC yet so I have to be a little more pationed *sigh*.

I'm currently writing my dissertation so I constantly carry around books and my laptop. Unfortunately I didn't have a bag to fit everything in as I hardly have any structured bags. I kinda like the smooth slouchy ones more ... until I saw Proenza Schouler's PS1. It looks like a school bag somehow and has a detachable shoulder strap which I find very practical. It seems to have a couple of compartments which makes it even more desirable. Unfortunately the heavy price tag kept me from actually really considering to purchase the bag. Until it went on sale. Ok, only one bag to be exact and in a coral candy color. I liked it right away but I already have lots of dark brown bags so I thought coral would be a nice color for spring/summer. And as I wear mostly solid colors like black and grey I'm not really afraid that it won't go with everything. So how could I resist with a reduction of 50% (!) percent and a beautiful color? Just ordered it so I hope it will get here soon. Can't wait.

Random outfit post

Just a casual outfit I wore today. It's been pourring here for a week so it didn't feel like summer. That explains the tights. But it's supposed to warm up again next week so I hope I can wear my Ann D's again and some summery dresses. I guess most bloggers are on vacation at the moment as there seem to be less updates than usual.


tunic dress: Zara
tights: American Apparel
shoes: cinderella (boutique in Amsterdam)
jacket: Silence & Noise
necklace: Etsy

Desperately Seeking Susan

After watching the movie from 1985 starring Madonna and Rosanna Arquette I once more realized that the 80s style dominates fashion at the moment. I can see lace leggins, cropped tops, sequin boots and jackets, oversized blazers with shoulder pads and rolled up sleeves. Everything was worn my Modonna at that time and can be found in stores today. Let me take you on a short journey back.

I realized that I haven't posted many of my outfits so I thought I'd post some I've worn recently. It's basically too hot here atm to post nice outfits but the skirt/shirt/body chain combo is today's outfit.

The It-Bag Revival

A midnight blue Chloé Paddington was my very first It-Bag ever. I can basically still recall the hunt for it (checking ebay religiously on a ten-times-a-day basis for an affordable one because there was no way I could have afforded to pay full retail). And when I finally had it in my hands and felt the super soft leather and smelled it, I knew one could be in love with a bag. At that time around, fashion mags everwhere proclaimed the birth of It-Bags*.

Every season one designer would bring out a new one convincing thousands of women all over the world that they couldn't live without it. Be it a Fendi Spy, YSL Muse or Marc Jacobs Stam. But the thing with trends is that they die sooner or later. And so we all said good-bye to the much celebratet It-Bags not shedding one tear about their disappearnce.

But the true Fashionista knows that trends always tend to come back after a certain period of time being absent. I have a feeling this could be the case with the new COCO duffle bag designed by no other than the popular award winning Alexander Wang. You might have seen pics of Mary-Kate Olsen carrying it with her everywhere. And that although the bag won't be available for purchase until the beginning of July. Something tells me that this bag will sell out in no time. It's a great bag indeed. Black, smooth leather and gold/silver studs at the bottom. It's big enough to hold everything and goes with practically every outfit. And with under 1K (it will probably retail for about $895) it will even be more affordabe than other It-Bags used to be in the past.

Just wondering if this will be a one-time wonder or if there's more to come. And for how long will this trend-revival last this time?

P.S.: What was your first It-/Designer-Bag? I'm curious to know.




* a very much coveted and insanely expensive high end designer bag that is, that got much attention and became famous through numerous celebs toting it around town. This trend basically started at the beginning of 00 and lasted until mid 00.

Fiona Paxton Jewellery

I'm pretty impressed by Fiona Paxton's debut jewellery line. It combines twenties glamour with Indian artistry and all items are hand made. "Each jewellery piece is tightly patterned beaded mosaic of glistening strands of silver and gold coloured chains and beads. Intricate beadworks create fluid necklaces that drape flat to the body languid and snakelike". Especially the necklaces are statement pieces as they have that glam rock style to them that is so "in" right now. It will instantly update any outfit.

The designer gets inspired by "street imagery, the flashing images of popular music culture, pattern and decoration from vintage finds and lazy weekends in art galleries taking tea and collecting postcards" and it's pretty visibile in her pieces.

Some of her unique necklaces are available at Shopbop.

Alexander Wang S/S 09 "Eye Candy"

I know, nothing that not almost everybody being into fashion hasn't seen before. I'm just so totally into everything by Alexander Wang atm therefore I thought I'd post some of my favorite items from his S/S 09 line. I wouldn't mind having everything but I personally think his dresses are perfection. The materials, the tailoring and the color palette are merged into outanding and unique dresses for special occasions. That explains why he is a favorite among celebrities.

Tying a knot (DIY knot chain necklace)

I saw this Lisa Freede knot and chain necklace on Revolveclothing and was this close to buying it when it occured to me that I could probably do it myself and save some money. Also, I wanted it to be black and silver instead of black and gold. So I purchased five chains of different shapes and colors and simply tied a knot at the bottom et voilá!