the clothes 2011

Another movie that probably won't be in theaters near me, but I would love to see is Desert Flower...

One of my favorite collections of NYFW was Chris Benz. So many marvelous textures, patterns, and layers working together in witchy, wonderful vibe. I'll definitely re-visit this collection again and again for inspiration.

Writing this post is quite a daunting task...How can I sum up in any amount of words how wonderful, inspiring, and exhausting NYFW with Tumblr was? It's a trip I would repeat again and again if I could, but I might require more hours to be added to each day! As wonderful as the shows I was able to attend, the studios I visited, and the backstage access, were the people. It's rather unfortunate to meet so many fascinating, creative people and then leave them behind for my hermitage here in Virginia. I hope that I will be able to see most of them again and they all made a lasting impression on me.

Alice & Olivia was our last presentation after a busy day and I must admit as we rode the elevator up at the Plaza hotel, I wasn't feeling it. However the gilded elevator doors parted and we were immediately handed glasses of champange, chocolate truffles, and dazzled by sequins. Munching on miniature cupcakes and weaving my way through the glamorous crowd to admire prettily posing models styled with red lips and cateye makeup, I started to feel the party spirit. The flapper-inspired collection was fun and fit for a scene out of Gatsby. The standout pieces in my eye though were chunky heels; striped in red and cream or covered in black sequins, in the words of Eloise, I want them now.

My favorite backstage experience during NYFW had to be Suno. It was so much fun to see part of the process and madness of a fashion show firsthand before it all began. The collection was also one of my favorites; so many amazing prints and the way things were layered was genius. Completely inspiring from start to finish and I hope you enjoy the video I shot of it!

I might have a wee girl crush on Zooey Deschanel and her giant eyes. This video (Don't Look Back by She & Him) is definitely a nice stylish romp from start to finish with lovely colors and quirky, retro looks.

I've been feeling slightly inspired and one of my (few) aspirations for 2011 was to make more videos; my Labbit Nasha has also been requesting more attention and features on the blog. These new sparkly things arriving in the mail seemed like a perfect excuse to shoot another stop motion. I received the sequin clutch as a gift from Kate Spade. It's absolutely wonderful, but I am a bit sad it's too small to hold my camera (all clutches are!).

Here's the little stop motion video I made featuring my Rebecca Minkoff purse and linked to earlier this week. It's basically a little spin on the blogger cliche "what's in my bag?" post.

It's an over-used phrase, but for Ali Lovell her enthusiasm really is infectious. This is by far my favorite StyleLikeU-er as much for her attitude and descriptions as for the outfits themselves. She wants (and succeeds) in projecting a romantic, cinematic quality; her outfits capture the sense of living in a movie. Even as she describes a fur hat she inherited from her grandmother her story transitions into a scene from a movie where the heroine is at a train station running after the love of her life. It's a beautiful vision and really reflects that idea of dressing in a way that inspires you and reflects your yearnings, visions, and passions...

Nasha is my Kidrobot Labbit who has had many posts (and even another video) dedicated to her in the past, but hasn't been on the blog too recently. Today she is making a comeback as she decks the halls in a little Christmas video...

Well over a year ago I posted stunning underwater photographs by Elena Kalis that left me speechless. Then, just this past week I stumbled across a video she made with the same theme. Paired with dreamy music, the light, colors and bubbles are mesmerizing to watch.

I'm "dying" a little over the adorableness that is Elizabeth Lau's new video lookbook. It's not even Thanksgiving yet, but the sweet music and cute dancing model with her cheesy moves and numerous balloons is making me wish it was Valentine's day. Each of the pieces in the new collection are definitely sacchrine enough for a whimsical tea party, or simply running errands and blogging from home...My favorite has to be the dress with the cape-like sleeves at 1:09 (although the simple striped number at 0:49 is practically perfect in every way). The dresses might be perfect for spring, but they're just in time for my ever-growing and completely unrealistic Christmas list.

I've posted this video on my Tumblr, my Twitter, and my Facebook; so it goes without saying I'm quite a fan. Directed by Gia Coppola for the adorable clothing line Orla Kiely it is shot in the best colors with a wonderful retro vibe (highly recommended to watch in full screen mode). I just want to hop into the video for a little London vacation and yes, I would like that wardrobe for myself as well...

Independent designer Alexandra Grecco (whom I have written about before) just released a video featuring her new Spring 2011 collection. It is so dreamy to watch because of the lovely, romantic clothes, but also since it features the magnetic Hannah Metz as one of the models (I can't wait until Hannah's own lingerie collection comes out too). The designs of Alexandra Grecco are meant to encourage women to "dress up in their every day lives" and it's a goal I couldn't agree with more. Her current collection is all glamour and luxurious materials, but each piece looks comfortable and easy enough to wear on a daily basis.

Here's a little video from one of my last days in Rome, Italy. I'm really enjoying videos, so I'm going to work hard at creating them regularly! The only problem is videos take more time than photographs, so there goes some of my life...

As I mentioned earlier: Erin and I stopped by the Family Affairs studio to interview Nina, try on clothes, drink tea, and generally have a good time. I already love all of the pieces I have from Family Affairs and consider them real investments, but meeting Nina and seeing where she works and lives really solidified my passion. The colors from this season are also swoon-worthy.

The pieces always look great and a lot of that is due to her attention to detail. Many of the buttons in the new collection are vintage, some are even hand-painted. The sleeves of the nude sheer blouse I'm wearing is made to be worn with cufflinks and comes with little button cufflinks Nina made. It's a tiny thing, but it's something I'm really excited about because of all the possiblities that come from cufflinks (another form of jewelry?). Even the fabrics are chosen so carefully with attention to weight which will effect how they drape or layer. For fall, I'm really excited about interesting color combinations and there are a lot of lovely tones in this new collection: peachy nudes, vibrant reds, icy mints, and luxurious gold.

We also got a peek at Nina's jewelry: Toujours Toi. Her beaded bangles are gorgeous and a perfect summer accessory. She also has some great new necklaces in stock (I snagged one you will all be seeing soon!). Nina has been making her jewelry longer than she has been making her clothing line. It's interesting how jewelry tends to be less brand driven and recognizable than clothing lines.

I could ramble on for awhile, but to get a feel for how the clothes move take a peek at the video. You'll definitely be seeing me in some of these pieces again soon...

*Erin of Calivintage and I shot the video together; the song is Sea Lion Woman by Feist. All pictures take by Calivintage.

Here's the video I shot while I was in Venice; I probably looked pretty ridiculous at moments with my Canon in one hand and my Flipvideo in the other! Videos are quite fun to make, but finding the perfect song and title to compliment the footage is always a struggle for me.