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

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.

That was (only) acceptable in the 80s?

Ok, first of all, I have to admit that I was born and grew up in the 80s. So I kinda remember the fashion from that decade very well (even though I was too young to actually wear most of it back then). Maybe that is one reason why I'm probably the only person who embraces the 80s revival in fashion instead of condemning it. Well, leggins have somehow become acceptable by most people - that's because they are affordable and easy to pull off.

Another trend that was very popular 20 years ago are shoulder pads in blazers and jackets. I have a feeling that they won't be around for long but I'm drawn to big shoulders at the moment. Think Balmain and Maison Margiela. While my taylor is currently working on my Balmain inspired blazer with big shoulders I went looking for some Margiela items and found this sweater for super cheap on the Yoox sample sale. I probably wouldn't have bought it if it had been super expensive because I don't know if I'll get a lot of use out of it but it's worth a try.

Even though it is a sweater I can wear it as a mini skirt. I'll probably add leggings out of laziness though. I think I'll layer a tank or bodysuit under it because the cleave is too revealing for my taste. I feel like a footballer with those pads btw. Unfortunately they keep slipping down my shoulders a little. It's a fun piece and will most certainly not become a mega trend which is why I like it. That, and the fact that it reminds me of my youth ;-)