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

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

B+B Update

As I said in my latest Youtube video (previous post), I am taking a break from posting to Youtube because between school and work and having a social life and then thinking about finding time to sleep, I just do not have the time to be editing videos in a timely fashion. So, I am going back to where my heart really is: blogging about it all!  I was making the videos because I wanted to try a different medium of communicating about fashion&culture and I did enjoy it (and hope to return to it eventually!), but I feel that writing and creating collages of inspiration are more in line with how I want to convey my thoughts and share information.

So, I hope that you will follow this blog (and/or any of the other platforms found in the "Keep In Touch" links on the right) and continue to communicate with each other about fashion and culture and people and style and design and all of these amazing creative circles!

I also would like to mention that part of what has jumpstarted this return to blogging is that I recently had this amazing epiphany moment where I was released from this terrible funk and suddenly feeling amazing and ready to get back in the game.  One of the biggest things is I want to do a lot of blogging when I study abroad in France next summer- particularly on the parisian culture and fashion that I absolutely adore!  So, if you follow my personal twitter, many of my tweets are listed as #parisbound and those are all about some of the things that I am doing that remind me of how close I am to getting back to the place I love <3

Thank you so much for visiting my blog and I do hope you'll become a regular visitor! ;)

Bsx

B+B

Hello Youtube Hiatus ~ Back to Blogging!

(see the corresponding post here)

Pastel Polish: A Different Take on Color Blocking

Chances are, if you've been flipping through the latest edition of your favorite fashion magazine, then you've heard about the huge trend that is Color Blocking.  This trend is one to be carefully executed, for fear of looking like you belong on a teaching mat in a kindergarten classroom.  I find the best way to work into this trend is to incorporate one solid color and work into adding up to four other colors.  Balance and accessorize with a neutral color, black, or white, and stick to one type of metallic with your jewelry.

Now, because it is getting into spring, I decided to experiment with my own fresh take on color blocking.  Instead of sticking with basics from the color wheel, I used pastels!  And here's how:

First, I picked my five colors for the base:

• Pastel Purple: Revlon (325 Gum Drop)
• Pale Pink: Fresh Paint (Pom Pom)
• Mint Green: *obscure polish from Israel that my friend has*
• Light Yellow: Pure Ice (Excuse Me)
• *Goal was Robin's Egg Blue*: Sally Hansen (The Real Teal)

Next, I found a neutral to act as the constant that ties together all of the nails:

• H&M Nail Polish (Beige)

My extra thin detail polish brush is missing, so I used a black sharpie for the definition.

Here's how you can achieve the same look:

1. Prep nails: file, buff, smooth, and wash hands
2. Apply one base coat of clear nail polish and allow time to dry
3. While that is drying, decide the order in which you'd like to paint your nails (organize the bottles so that you maintain your decided pattern
4. Apply one coat of polish in your decided order (for fun, I did the opposite order on each hand)
5. Allow your nails enough time to dry (this will depend on your polish)
6. Apply a second coat of the polish to your nails
7. Allow the second coat time to dry
8. Very carefully, use the neutral to create a semicircle along the cuticle so that the flat side is against the base of the nail
9. Now, allow the nails to dry completely (this may mean a few hours, so make sure you have a nice book to read or homework to type!)
10. Once the nails are completely dry, use a fine tip polish brush with black nail polish (or, if yours has gone missing like mine, use a black Sharpie!) to outline the beige semicircle, but only along the rounded edge (not the edge against the cuticle)
11. Allow the polish/Sharpie time to dry completely
12. Apply two coats of your favorite clear, sealing top coat to help your look last!

Please let me know what you think, if you've tried it, or any other questions/comments/responses that you have  in regards to this post and color blocking by writing in the box below

Thanks ~ Bisoux!