GIRL FRIDAY ♥ NEW FLY GIRLS (MODELS)

@ Lanvin SS 2011 (L-R) Ajak Deng (img), Jenell Williams (nathalie), Ataui Deng (elite), Jourdan Dunn (nathalie), Melodie Monrose (silent)...Alber Elbaz always knows how to do it right.

Besides more than half the spring/summer 2011 shows being a bit of a safe snooze, a lot of kids noticed something new and fresh on the runways. FLAVOR. I know there were a lot of complaints in the past about the Caucasian models dominating the runways, or...er...ahem...the lack of black or any other ethnicity on them. Now that we've actually seen a leap with the numbers of darker girls strutting in the best shows, it's even more apparent what we were missing. I was LOVING it. Not only does it mix it up a bit, they are GORGEOUS in the fashions and the makeup. And we got to see a lot of them. Not one or two dark girls like in the past (Naomi, Tyra, Alek, Beverly...). But a lot. Almost so many that I'm afraid I've missed some of them here (if i have, please do let me know). It was a throw-back, in a good way, to the past and the iconic YSL all-black shows. And come on, when you have a lot of girls to look at, you see how different they all are and and how essential they should be to every show. Or most shows. It was also cool that a lot  of them shot to the top. I can't imagine...one day they're going on editorial and catalog go-sees, and the next they're going for fittings at Lanvin, YSL, Louis Vuitton...must be amazing. So I wanted to showcase these gorgeous beauties. By the way, if you didn't already know...Italian Vogue does have a black edition. That's how f-ing cool they are. (PPS I'm waiting for the Persian girls to take over next season.)♡

Ajak Deng (img) at Louis Vuitton...HOT.

Ashane Rose (next) at Cacharel...!

Ataui Deng (elite) at Cacharel (all in the family)

Jenell Williams (nathalie) at Louis Vuitton!

super foxy Joan Smalls (img) at Louis Vuitton. She is hot.

so is Melodie Monrose (silent) at YSL

Nyasha Matonhodze (elite) at Louis Vuitton

Rose Cordero (elite) at Louis Vuitton

Simone Carvalho (oui) at Louis Vuitton...so hot.

I did forget one other imporant one! LEOMIE ANDERSON! 

love leomie anderson (premier)...watch her during fashion week in the link above.

more girl friday ♥ heidi hartwig

all images from style.com

SHOE ME THURSDAY ♥ WUNDERKIND SS 2011

OK. I really enjoyed the Wunderkind Spring 2011 collection. This is also a perfect example of how styling can save or destroy a collection. There was a lot going on here...but it all came together in a really great way that truly reflects the designer's vision as a whole. Wolfgang Joop (could have been a rockstar with a name like that) said he wanted to add a little punk rock to the show because without it, all the cherries would have been too sweet. Something to that effect. In lieu of the snooze most of the shows were (I'm not the only one who noticed something boring/less exciting about a lot of the shows...perhaps we're finally seeing the pressures of the changing world and technology as well as big business pushing designers to create smaller collections and/or more saleable-to-the-mass-public pieces. Not everyone can handle it--dearly missed McQueen...), this collection was fun and popped out like...a cherry. I loved the looks, but take a look at the shoes! These models must have looked like 10-foot amazons.

really cute combo with the tan/khaki and striped shorts. the bag and shoes are great, too.

maybe a bit too much for the street...but components would be good to work in..not all together. the striped leggings were great.

woohoo! fun fun shoes! would be great with some denim oversized dickies!

this color combo is great.

check out the profile of the shoes...intense!

this look was really sweet. like heidi and pippi longstocking had a cousin who smoked cigarettes and did naughty things.

fun for the runway.

really cute.

super cute plats

really fun platforms!

so are these rust lacy things. i think the white laces takes into punk

really works together for the runway. gorgeous use of color. really cute dress.

my favorite shoes from the show. would love to get these...

i have a pair that look similar, but they aren't as high! these shoes look amazing.

And I have to also mention the boys, though few, in this show. amazing styling and casting. absolutely perfect. I'd hire all of these dudes for a gig if I could. and I will. ;) (How cute are these boys in these looks???!)♡

more shoe me thursday ♥ crazy tights

all images from style.com

WEDNESDAY BAG ♥ VALENTINO (GIRL!)

LOVING the new Valentino. Though, for me, it's not Valentino, but a new label, I suppose. Though, especially with the bags in this collection, I do see some vintage Valentino styles: gorgeous, girly, ethereal, dreamy, to-die-for, impeccable and it's own story. It didn't disappoint me like Céline did for a lot of us (I love you, Phoebe...but it was a snore). Let's a have a look and then I'll show you one of my own favorite bags. I'm lucky in that I own a lot of vintage Valentino. Some of it is stuff I can wear until I'm an old stylee lady. And a couple of the pieces I'll never be able to wear as I'm quite petite and they're made for the tallest tree women with zero curves. But I love them anyway. My most favorite piece is a handbag. A simple handbag which used to garner a lot of attention in New York whenever I had it out on my bed or on my arm. The cool thing about the handbag is the strap because it doubles up to be shorter, something you'd hold around your wrist, and then you can also lengthen the strap so you can hang it from your shoulder. If you notice in the photos, a lot of the new Valentino bags have this very same strap/chain...or they look like they do. I'm sure they are the same mechanism. It's really a handy/stylee feature. It's one of the reasons why I love that vintage Valentino bag. That's why I thought it best to showcase Valentino for this Wednesday Bag post.♡

what color and style. such a dream.

sigh.

the dress is amazing. the longer version is below. and the  bag is cool. even with the strange studded knuckle strap.

parisian chic

such an amazing piece. and style.

swiss dots. love it. the bag might not go with this dress, but i love the bag anyway.

i love the teeny teeny bag she has. it's so small. i love it.

this is a color that doesn't really translate in a photo. i'm sure it's a creamy dream in real life.

here's the studded knuckle strap. dunno why. but see the chain? if you pulled on the middle of it, you'd shorten the strap by half. (looks like croc....! which might be controversial, but i love croc!)

looks good in this color. but i don't think this bag goes with the dress.

is this a bag? it's great if it is. i love it.

such a gorgeous ethereal dress and a perfectly tiny bag.

i heart dots. and the 60s. so i am won. i have a lot of vintage that looks like this.

this is an amazing piece. just amazing. look at the detail below...

swiss dots and florals...and sheer black.

teeny tiny bag, i heart you!

here is my vintage probably 70s Valentino handbag. it's the perfect size and color and see how the strap is doubled and shorter here?

now i've extended it and it goes across the top. and it's longer now. i can hang it on my shoulder and it hangs at my hips. see all the V's in the leather?

great lining. love it. love it. love it. the same stylist who stole my nina ricci dress wanted this bag. i'm glad she didn't get it!

more wednesday bag ♥  johnny loves rosie

images of valentino ss 2011 from style.com 

images of vintage valentino bag, my own

TUESDAY TAILOR ♥ TSUMORI CHISATO MAGIC

I'm totally overloaded right now. Partially because the weather went from record-breaking heat to early winter rain in a heartbeat. And partially because there were oodles of good clothing on the runways of Paris the past day or so. Just beyond anyone's expectations. I'll pack a ton in here this week...because there's also a lot of good news that needs to be covered that doesn't have to do with the shows, per se. 

Tsumori Chisato is a genius. And fun. And not for the boring. Listen, you don't have to wear these pieces with your hair done PLUS your makeup over done PLUS crazy socks and shoes. You can easily be the coolest one in the room with one of her dresses or tops or pants and have natural hair and makeup, good lips and simple black pumps. Her designs are artful...which is one of the reasons why I loved it when Julie Verhoeven was doing designs for the house of Gibo. (I do love her stuff for Mulberry, but there were some amazing dresses from her last Gibo collection that I'd really love to own....I'll also post an interview on Nancy Girl that I did with her that never got published in the near future.) I think if you have the patience and you have the knowledge of some good off-the-beaten-path thrift shops to rummage through, you can find some pieces maybe that have as much sparkle as Tsumori's spring collection. Please make note of the gorgeous shoes (especially the toe-capped heels). By the way, this was her 20th anniversary. And she recently did a collab with Petit Bateau that I'll feature on here shortly.♡

love this dress (or top, bolero and skirt?). see the details below.

i always love it when she and karen walker do denim.

would be so cool worn as a body suit under a tight pencil skirt. or high waisted black velvet flares.

i really love this color. it's gorgeous.

love love the shoes and everything and the dress. see the details below...

i love all the cap toes, but i think these would be amazing for spring.

i love love this print and color. love it!!!

more tuesday tailor ♥ i heart catsuits

all images from style.com yo