I am simply a student who has always had multiple interests and fashion happens to be a huge one. I don’t call myself a model because I don’t identify with being one and I very rarely do it professionally. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, as was the case with the We Love Colors feature, I buy all of the designer clothes myself and finding them at great prices is something of a passion in itself for me. I just love adding another couture treasure to my collection and gradually watching that collection grow.

What most concerned me about that comment was its underlying implication that the reason that I am able to own these pieces, or look a certain way, is somehow outside the reach of “non-models.” Or the misguided notions that it is a common practice for models to receive designer clothes for free. This is simply not true; 99% of models get their standard hourly rate designated by the agency and only those at the absolute top of the game might walk away something extra.

Part of the reason that I started the blog is because I want to show couture on someone who is outside the fashion industry. Just a future law student making her way through the world and trying to enjoy it fully. Couture is not elusive or unattainable anymore. Knowing where to look or what to look for while staying open-minded is a huge part of it. The other part is to constantly evolve, learn, and explore. Lets explore together my dear fashionistas!

Love Lida

* Only 3 days left to make your submission for the Dolce&Gabbana dress giveaway.

What I’m wearing:

• Jacket by “Antonio Berardi” from the Fall 2006 collection
• Silk skirt by “Miu Miu” from the Spring 2008 collection (last seen in Jan. 24’10)
• Satin bow pumps by “Report Signature”
• Feather headband by “Marciano”
• Pearl/gold 5-strand bracelet by “Mirale & Aya” (last seen in Mar. 7’10)

I’ve included some runway pictures of similar pieces from the same collections. I am crazy about this Antonio Berardi peaked-shoulder, nipped-waist jacket and that exquisite detailing in the fabric just makes me want more Berardi.

What I’m wearing:

• Jacket by “Club Monaco”
• Shorts by “Marciano”
• Necklace by “Ligia Dias – Colliers” (says “FUTURE IS VINTAGE”) (as seen in Nov. 26’09)
• Patent leather heels by “Report Signature” (as seen in Mar. 14’10)
• Plain tank top by “H&M”
• Men’s Rolex watch (of the Canal Street variety )
• Aviator sunglasses by “GUCCI” (as seen in Mar. 29’10)

btw, this dress is made out of the exact same fabric as the the maxi dress I showed you on Feb. 28’10

What I’m wearing:

• Silk slip-dress by “YA-YA Aflalo”
• Patent leather shoes by “Report Signature” (as seen in Feb. 28’10)

Photo 1-3 (Dominican Republic):

• Patent leather clutch with gold studs by “Arcadia” (as seen in Dec. 22’09)
• Crystal necklace (bought at the market in La Paz, Mexico) (as seen in Mar. 4’10)

Photos 4-5 (Jamaica):

• Leather bow clutch by “Steven” (as seen in Nov. 25′09, Jan. 29’10)
• CZ silver buckle ring by “Charles Winston” (white on white) (as seen in Dec. 22’09)

But the story doesn’t end there…

When getting ready for the reception, I was contemplating whether to bring a clutch or just bring the bare essentials and put them into my coat pockets. In the interest of keeping it simple and not wanting to waste time on picking the perfect clutch, I went with the latter option. I put my ID, credit card, lip-gloss, and prescription glasses in my coat pockets and was out the door. We took a cab back home and, as it turned out, my prescription glasses fell out of the pocket in the cab as I was taking out my credit card to pay. I rarely loose anything, so this was a bit of a shocker. Ironically enough, out of the things I own (which some would argue are in excess ), my prescription glasses are probably the one think I actually need. It was not until about 4 am – when I was woken up by some internal force – that I new where how I lost them. It felt like some subconscious epiphany (if there is such a thing) was pulling me out of my sleep. I called the cab company in the morning, with the cab number and other details (from the credit card receipt he gave me), and by the next day the driver called me and dropped them off. Ummm, don’t you just love happy ending?

I guess the moral of the story is to carry a clutch or bring your purse. Pockets are less reliable than they seem . Also, don’t let a seemingly unfavorable probability of finding something prevent you from putting effort into the search. Life has an amazing way of defying concepts like “probability.”

What I’m wearing:

• Silk dress by “Nina Ricci”
• Patent leather shoes by “Report Signature” (as seen in Mar. 6’10)
• Nude tights by “Calvin Klein”
• Crystal bracelet by “Felicia” (as seen in Feb. 18’10)

Aunt Laura knitted me this beautiful blanket you see in the pictures and every time I wrap it around my shoulders it feels like she is hugging me. I feel warmth emanating from the blanky that is a product of something other than cashmere. It’s my dear auntie’s love .

Wonderful things happen on March 6th and the birth of my aunt proves the matter. Thank you so much for knitting me this amazing blanky; I will cherish it always. Happy Birthday our dear “Chica Bomba!” .

Love Lida

What I’m wearing:

• A cashmere blanket (knitted by my aunt, Laura)
• Nude tights
• Patent leather shoes by “Report Signature”

Notice that this dress is made of the same fabric as the YA-YA slip dress I showed you earlier.

What I’m wearing:

• Silk Maxi dress by “YA-YA Aflalo”
• Patent leather shoes by “Report Signature”
• Pearl/silver  necklaces by “Peyote Bird” (as seen in Dec. 9)
• Pearl/gold 5-strand bracelet by “Mirale & Aya” (as seen in Dec. 9)

What I’m wearing:

• Pants by “Stella McCartney” (as seen in Nov. 28)
• Leather boots by “Report Signature”
• Top by “Amo & Bretti”
• Talk-top by “Joe’s”
• Chunky ring made out of fishbone (bought in Cuba)
• Silver dog tag by “Emporio Armani”
• Handmade necklace with clay gingerbread men looking things (bought in Cuba)

Today’s look-of-the-day features a hot little dress. It’s from the first Marciano collection, when the new line was just being introduced with Paris Hilton as their poster girl. I’ve included some pictures of her wearing this dress for their ads. Notice that in one of the pictures, Paris is wearing the dress with a blue bra. I understand that the new brand was trying to establish the Marciano image as edgy and cool, but really…? Having any part of your bra exposed is not just a risky move because it’s accident prone but it’s incredibly trashy looking. I saw a picture of Lindsay Lohan wearing the same dress in pink at a club and she was also sporting it with an exposed bra. I think that such bold moves just look desperate and unnecessary. And if it’s a support issue, I don’t think the increased cleavage justifies the overall cheapness of the look.

I wore this dress for various occasions (Christmas party, a club, and on vacation), which is the reason that the accessories differ from one picture to another.

What I’m wearing:

• Dress by “Marciano”

Photo 1, 2 (Occasion: Christmas Party)

• Silver necklace with purple Swarovski crystals
• Large crystal encrusted bracelet by “Ton Pascal Paris“
• CZ belt buckle silver ring by “Charles Winston” (white on white)
• Shoes by “Report Signature” (as seen in Dec. 19)

Photo 3 (Occasion: club)

• Patent leather clutch with gold studs by “Arcadia”

Photo 4 (Occasion: Vacation in Jamaica)

• Long gold-plated necklace with a large egg pendant (bought in Eilat, Israel)
• Earrings by “Marciano”

In line with this announcement, I thought it would be appropriate to make today’s look-of-the-day about something I wore on a vacation. This silk, leopard-print dress served me well on my trip to Jamaica and Cuba and is a good example of the type of garment you will love wearing on those hot vacation nights. Interestingly enough, I have never been a fan of leopard-print and find it to be the tackiest and most desperate of patterns. It’s especially disturbing to see leopard on young girls – it just seems so clashing and contradictory. It is one thing to see it on a woman of a ripe age with a sexually aggressive disposition (Samantha on Sex in the City) but quite another on a teenager with braces. With that said, I am wearing leopard print here because the pattern of this dress is subtler than what you would generally associate with this print and it’s on silk chiffon. Fabrics and the silhouette make a huge difference for the kind of impression the print makes. If the dress is a leopard-print, skin-tight, polyester or nylon monstrosity, even Dolce & Gabbana would have a hard time making it look worth over $29.99.

So in choosing whether to go with that leopard-print garment use your desecration. Fashion is not about rules but you have to be conscious of the kind of impression the look makes. You wouldn’t want your leopard to scare those around you, even if the animal is in its element; be it the tropics or the bedroom.

What I’m wearing:

• Silk chiffon dress by “Marciano”
• Shoes by “Report Signature”
• Gold-plated necklace with large crystal and gold balls by “Jan Rich International” aka “JRI” (as seen in Nov. 27)
• Bracelet by “Ciro” (as seen in Nov. 28)

What I’m wearing:

• High-waisted skirt by “DIANE von FURSTENBERG”
• Top by “Dolce & Gabbana”
• Crystal ring by “Emporio Armani”
• Wild-pearl necklace
• Shoes by “Report Signature“
• Coat by “twenty 8 twelve – by s.miller”
• Skin-tone, clear stockings