Neutrals | 20something cupcakes

Tag Archive - neutrals

fantasy friday: MAJORly fall.

September 10, 2010 in Fantasy Friday, Fashion with 2 Comments

I’ve *fallen* for fall.

And I’m not talking about the weather. God knows that doesn’t exist here in South Florida.

No, for me – fall equals fashion . And this year, the designers went ba-nanas. There was a huge 90′s influence, but without the grunge factor that’s been haunting us lately – nope, none of that here. Here we saw everything from minimalism circa classic Calvin Klein, to the return of velvet, and – perhaps now taking us closer into the 80s – lace. And then, there were the animal prints. Leopard is totally killing it right now, and I can’t get enough of it. But that’s not all – there were also retro influences, seen in the way of ladylike suiting and full skirts. It was all about juxtaposition. Old school, and new school. Lace, and military. Minimalism, and over-the-top embellishment. Leather – but not just jackets. It’s the element of surprise – leather shorts, dresses, full ensembles. And I’m obsessing over the maxi skirts. It’s not about the dress anymore – it’s all in the skirt, whether form-fitting or flowing.

So – without further ado, here they are. All of my favorite trends of the season, straight off the runway.

ANIMAL PRINTS.

{roberto cavalli}

LEATHER EVERYTHING.

{stella mccartney}

LACE.

{lanvin}

NEVERENDING NEUTRALS.

{chloé}

MORE ANIMAL PRINTS.

{malandrino}

THE RETURN OF RED.

{versace}

FUR.

{gucci}

MILITARY.

{burberry}

MAXI SKIRTS.

{dries van noten}

the chanel khaki nail.

September 8, 2010 in Obsessed, Product Junkie with 3 Comments

Thank you, Chanel.

Thank you for creating the nail polish color I’ve been dreaming about.

You see, about a month ago I tried this new color at the nail salon. Or, an old color. A very old color.

Cup-A-Cawfee by OPI. Never heard of it? I’m not surprised – it’s from 2000. And wouldn’t you know, it was my favorite color ever. Obsessed. I made my girl at the nail salon hide the bottle so I could finish it off… Not that anyone would have used it. It was old. And gloppy. And hidden away among the mish-mashed polishes that no one ever looks at.

Enter the discovery of the new Chanel Khaki Collection.

Half of me was ridiculously excited; the other half felt like my brilliant idea of a creamy, toffee-like deep nude nail polish had been ripped off.

It’s okay, I decided in the end. I’m glad Peter Phillips and I are on the same page.

The Khaki Brun is the color I’ve been fantasizing about, and I’m also loving the perfectly mossy green Khaki Vert. Which one do YOU prefer? Or were you more excited about the ubiquitous Jade color that came out of last year’s Fashion’s Night Out?

gray for days.

August 30, 2010 in Fabulously Simple, Fashion with 4 Comments

Simple can be stunning.

{I think I’ve mentioned this before, no?}

This all-gray ensemble worn by Dree Hemingway sums it up pretty perfectly. I love the idea of pairing a simple cotton tee with a drapey skirt in the same color – not to be outdone by a fabulous pair of neutral shoes. We all know by now that I usually find neutrals to be the chicest choice, and going all-out monochromatic only takes it one step further.

I’m sure many of us are familiar with this particular gray tee from American Apparel. I love the super soft fabric, and I have several of them in both the tee as shown and the v-neck style. This outfit really demonstrates how versatile a tee can be. She actually designed the skirt she’s wearing – I’m impressed – but I did find this version which looks incredibly similar. She also rocked the Loubies, of course, which I love – but you can always find great neutral pumps from sources like Aldo (my personal favorite) or Steve Madden for a much lower price tag.

As far as the bag goes, a black Balenciaga satchel works for any occasion, and she proves that point – but I wouldn’t mind seeing a pop of color here. I think an animal-print would be especially beautiful, and keeping the bag somewhat within the neutral category does solidify the theme she’s working right now.

I also love how she kept her jewelry totally minimal, as well as her hair and makeup. She looks like she could roll right out of bed looking like this – and I think that’s about as sexy as it gets.

What do you think, dolls? Does this type of look do it for you, or do you need a little more to get you going?

{image}

{still} white hot.

June 17, 2010 in Fashion with 6 Comments

No, I’m not over it yet.

To tell you the truth, I’ll never be rid of my obsession with all things white – and summer gives me an excuse to pile the pieces on thick. I gave you my Fantasy picks a few weeks back – but here are some {if only slightly} more wallet-friendly staples we should all be coveting.

{teardrop bead necklace by adia kibur}

{quilted corset dress by twelfth st. by cynthia vincent}

{milly harbour island drawstring shorts}

{t by alexander wang jersey t-shirt mini dress}

{michael kors chronograph watch}

{bcbg knit skirt}

{j brand 935 twill capri}

I’ve been looking everywhere for the perfect white jeans for summer, and of course J Brand came through in the end – loving the skinny capri cut. A white bandage mini is also on my list, and this BCBG number is a much more realistic option than anything from our beloved Hervé Léger. There’s a perfect LWD that you’ll get tons of mileage out of – and who doesn’t need another perfect t-shirt dress? I could *live* in them. The shorts are beyond cute – and a way to go nautical without doing stripes. The chunky watch I’m loving as a much cheaper alternative to the iconic Chanel ceramic, and the necklace – ahhh, the necklace. For me, it’s the ideal statement piece. I’d choose that over a more colorful version any day of the week.

But then again, that’s just coming from me – the self-professed neutral addict. What do YOU think of my vision in white?

fantasy friday: YSL tribute sandal.

June 11, 2010 in Fantasy Friday, Fashion, Obsessed with 13 Comments

Go high, or go home.

When it comes to my shoes, I’m something of a woman of extremes. It’s either flats, or heels of at least 4 inches – preferably 5. And extra points for a serious platform. What I’m not a fan of is anything in between. That’s right, ladies – you won’t be seeing any kitten heels in these parts.

The Tribute Sandal by Yves Saint Laurent is by far my favorite platform ever. The T-strap adds something different, and trust me – your legs will go on for miles. They’re surprisingly comfortable, and they come in lots of different neutrals. I think this nude color may just be the perfect shade to go with everything.

I should probably mention that I don’t yet own these babies officially – but I do have 2 pair from Bakers that look absolutely identical. Hands down – the best purchases I’ve ever made. One in black, and one in cognac – I always get so many compliments on them, and I’m proud of the fact that I paid only $90 a pop as opposed to the $750 price tag.

Still, I’m not going to lie – I would like to have the real deal one day. In every color. With matching YSL Platform Pumps, Downtown Totes, and Muse Handbags, please.

And that’s why {for now} it’s called a Fantasy…

Happy Friday, lovelies!

the look for less: st. tropez style.

June 9, 2010 in Fashion, Look for Less with 3 Comments

When I received this image in an email from Style.com, I couldn’t help but slightly obsess over this woman’s perfectly chic understated elegance. Her name is Agnès, and she is a French TV presenter.

And guess where she is, pretties?

That’s right – our favorite dream vacay spot – St. Tropez.

So naturally, I thought this was a perfect follow-up to last week’s Fantasy Friday. Because let’s face it – most of us aren’t in any position to be purchasing any pieces from that collection of perfection by the great Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton. Yes, this particular outfit is absolutely toned down from last week’s stunners, but that’s exactly what I love about it. I am a huge proponent of neutrals, and I think wearing them together instantly makes you look put together and gives even a casual ensemble like this a hit of glamour.

It’s also a perfect palette on which to add all of those super-bright nail polishes and lipsticks of summer. I would love to give this look a dose of coral lipstick (read about my favorite one *ever* purchased during my last trip drugstoring). And just imagine the shoe potential here…

Now, Mademoiselle Agnès’ look is definitely upwards of $2,000 – while our Look for Less comes in at under $300. The leather shorts were the only semi-pricey item – and that’s because they’re real leather. Believe me, $198 for leather shorts is still a hefty discount – most of them started at around $500. I’m dying for a pair, but I’ll likely have to leave my online-shopping comfort zone to do it – they look like an item that requires a try-on.

{white ruffled blouse} / Shown: Arden B $44 / More: Banana Republic $69, LOFT $44

{black leather shorts} / Shown: Kitson $198 / More: ASOS $93

{straw tote with neutral detailing} Shown: Newport News $24 / More: Endless $57, Kitson $98

{aviators} Shown: ASOS $16 / More: Marc by Marc Jacobs $98, Endless $70

fantasy friday: white party.

May 7, 2010 in Fantasy Friday, Fashion with 9 Comments

I think it is safe to say that summer is officially here. When I first stepped outside in the beginning of the week, I could feel the heat hit me like a blanket – and sure enough, temperatures have been blasting into the nineties everyday since.

You only have a couple of options when the weather gets like this.

Ice-cold summer cocktails (margarita or spiked lemonade, anyone?) and fabulous white everything.

{alexander wang lattice bobble oversized sweater}

{jimmy choo cecile woven-leather bag}

{jil sander edison blazer}

{yves saint laurent perforated cassandre cotton scarf}

{azzaro hermana silk playsuit}

{fendi wood strappy platform sandals}

{see by chloé wool and linen-blend shorts}

{chloé leather-trimmed metal aviators}

In my book white is always trés chic, and these pieces just epitomize that – can you just imagine that Alexander Wang sweater thrown over a bikini as the sun starts to set? And that playsuit – I’m cooling down already just looking at it – looks absolutely perfect for pretty much any event; it could easily be dressed up or down.

Which ones do you want.need.have.to.have?