Thursday, June 21, 2012

Styled by B+B


This piece must be prefaced with a huge MERCI to the wonderful model and great sport in these photos: my brother <3  Richard was a huge help by allowing me to dress him up, fuss with his hair, even add a touch of contouring bronzer!  What a champ- I love this kid <3  Merci, mon frère préféré hehe

For these looks, it is no surprise that I was inspired by European fashion.  My biggest source of inspiration was not the latest Resort 2013 shows and their audiences, but rather the crowds that I saw when I went to the Summer Fancy Food Show 2012 in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday and saw the outfits being worn by exhibitors, vendors, and perusers alike found in the European aisles.  To narrow it down a bit further, I was intrigued most by the France and Italy aisles.  They had that sleek, modern, but comfortable look that I adore.  There is a small exception in this series, though, because one of the looks was actually inspired by the Valentino Men's Collection that I reviewed yesterday.  On such a hot summer day, I did not make him wear the coat in the Valentino look for long, so there aren't as many pictures of it.  All in all, Richard is a champ and I really appreciate him helping model these looks for me <3


 


First look:
Look 1 is inspired by parisian street style <3  The scarf is actually mine from my visit to Paris a few years ago- the light blue and white are so bright that it is perfect for summer!

Shirt: Royal Blue Classic V-Neck from H&M  ~  Jeans: Low Loose Fit from American Eagle  ~  Shoes: Black Oxfords by Nunn Bush  ~  Scarf: sky blue and white houndstooth from a street market in Paris <3
Sunglasses: silver aviators from H&M



Second Look:


This look was more inspired by the italian aisle of the SFFS12, but it also has a bit of a Marc Jacobs feel to it with the wide, knee-length, plaid shorts (the wide leg making them look kilt-esque!).  A casual white button down is great for guys in the summer because it looks and feels light.  The black and white plaid shorts, black sleek shoes, and white and gold aviators add classy touches and an elegant summer cool.  I also swapped out the aviators for a pair of horn-rimmed glasses, which change the feel of the outfit.  With the horn rimmed glasses, the look is less Marc Jacobs and more business casual.


Shirt: white cotton button-down from H&M  ~  Shorts: white on black plaid  ~  Shoes: (same)  ~  Sunglasses: gold and white aviators from Urban Outfitters  ~  Glasses: horn rimmed glasses from Target



Obviously, I am all about this fabulous jumping pose <3  Perfect to showcase the whole look!



Third Look:

This look was most certainly inspired by Valentino's Men's Collection for Spring/Summer 2013!  Played up this camo jacket by layering it over the white button down and switching the plaid shorts for these khaki ones.  Of course, I kept the slick oxfords!  Did we achieve the Valentino SS13 look?  :)

Shirt: white button-down from H&M  ~  Shorts: khaki knee-length  ~  Same Oxfords  ~  Same UO Aviators and Target Glasses  ~  Jacket: vintage Army Medic jacket from Good Will



Fourth Look: 

This look was inspired by italian street style.  The tucked in button-down, slick accessories, light hues, and then pop of color with the looped scarf would make any guy appear put together without sacrificing comfort - especially considering this warmer weather!  If it continues to be this hot, feel free to ditch the scarf haha


Shirt: blue button-down "Oxford Vintage Fit" from American Eagle Outfitters  ~  Shorts: khaki knee-length  ~  Same Oxfords  ~  Sunglasses: same silver H&M aviators  ~  Scarf: colorful striped scarf in a european loop from a street market in Morocco



 Fifth Look:

This look is a very casual, but very french look.  While most french would not wear a 'Moulin Rouge' T-shirt, that is just for a little dramatic emphasis to help with the look ;)  But the soft black T, clean khaki bottoms, and [a common tool throughout these looks] slick accessories give the effortless yet polished look that the french seem to achieve on a regular basis.

Shirt: 'Moulin Rouge' T-shirt from a street vendor in Paris, FR  ~  Shorts: khaki knee-lengths  ~  Same Oxfords  ~  Same Target horn rimmed glasses  ~  Same classy, good sport of a brother <3



I cannot thank Richard enough for being such a good sport and such a fantastic model for this photoshoot!  Let me know what you think of the looks (or if you enjoy my goofy brother as a model? haha) and any other responses or questions by clicking on the 'Comments' pencil below and posting in the white comments box!

Merci et bonne journée <3


Styled by yours truly ;)

B+B

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Valentino's Men's Collection Spring/Summer 2013 Show





Today at 7pm CET was the Valentino Men's Collection Spring/Summer 2013 ... unfortunately, I live on a college budget haha  The best alternative: to watch the live stream!  I love that we are in a time (and a place) where you can watch shows- if you aren't taking advantage of this chance to see the shows you should begin now!  Even if you miss the shows, most keep their show up for a few days or even permanently archived.  You can watch this show here :)


Something special about Valentino's Men's Collection SS13 show was that (if you watched it live), the beginning of the stream was going between the courtyard/entrance and the seating around the runway.  For some, this may seem like the perfect time to grab a glass of water and get situated for the show.  But for others -probably you if you've come to read this hehe- it was just as important to see what the audience was wearing:




So many fabulous yet comfortable outfits- inspiration for outfits to wear to the office!


And soon it was time for the show to begin!


Notice: the blocking and strips of entire faces (shins, side seams, calves, etc) in different colors - it's like colorblocking with natural colors!




I love love love the pops of yellow!





These suits are divine <3



The exhilarating bare runway before the finale!




And ending with Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli (creative directors since 2008)




Such a wonderful show!  I have to be honest, I am not a fan of camouflage and that was a big theme here.  However, I did enjoy the different textures and luminosity of the colors in the camo that gave this pattern a runway feel that I really enjoyed.  And their colors were so natural and clean: starch white, sleek black, warm browns, brick red, military greens, and clean greys PLUS that fabulous bright yellow!  And I am not sure if you can see it here (particularly the sixth picture of the show), but if you watch the show yourself, you will notice the royally overized sleeves that look like they came out of the three musketeers- it was fantastic!


What did you think of the show?
What did you think of their SS13 looks?
Are there any other SS/Resort 2013 shows that you enjoyed and would like to recommend?

Share this and more in the comments box below!  Merci :)


B+B