Fashionista Talk » Silk top

pastel cloud

lida — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 17:29:16 +0000

The Revolve shoot was an interesting but insanely tiring experience. The idea was to have the four chosen bloggers style and model five outfits each for the Revolve summer guide. As soon as the guide is launched on their site I’ll post the pictures here and tell you the stories behind each look.

This little silk number is what I wore to the shoot. Because of its precarious length, I’m still not sure whether to categorize it as a long top or a short dress but indeterminate length is nothing to fear. My general approach to such pieces is to wear them as dresses with short shorts underneath – allowing me to feel comfortable without having to distort the silhouette of the garment or impose any kind of unnecessary heaviness (i.e. wearing it as a long top over jeans or leggings).

I only have a few more days left in California, so I’m off to the beach. Have an amazing day everyone!

What I’m wearing:

Silk top/dress by “twenty8twelve”
Nude heels by “Elie Tahari” (last seen in June 4’10)
Necklace by “Ben-Amun” (last seen in June 4’10)
Cashmere cardigan by “Julie & Jack” (last seen in Mar. 19’10)
Chunky chain ring by “Luc Kieffer” (last seen in June 4’10)
Vintage inspired leather purse by “Etienne Aigner” (last seen in June 4’10)
Vintage belt (last seen in June 4’10)
High-waisted shorts from “French Connection” (last seen in June 4’10)

now and then clothing

lida — Tue, 18 May 2010 19:03:12 +0000

I came across an exciting new vintage fashion boutique in the Danforth and Broadview area called Tabula Rasa. It’s owner, Jennifer Park, personally chooses all the vintage pieces for the store but vintage is not all that it has to offer. There are also some interesting new clothes from independent lines of NYC and Australia. Their overall aesthetic comes from the combination of ‘timeless treasures paired in a modernized way,” which is what I tried to do in today’s look. I bought this silk vintage top at Tabula Rasa on the way to the the bank a few days ago, and I couldn’t wait to put it to use. When we decided to go for brunch at Starving Artist (on Lansdowne) over the weekend, its time had finally come.

In this relaxed outfit I wanted the loose vintage top to be the central element, so I paired it with relatively simple, “filler” pieces. I layered the top over belted linen shorts, and in order to give it some shape, I removed the belt from the shorts and wore it over the top (around the hip area). The necklace and vintage-inspired shoes just kind of fell into place after that.

Tabula Rasa in itself is a cute little find of a boutique, so you never know…your favourite vintage find might be impatiently waiting for you there. And in case you were wondering, Tabula Rasa means “clean slate” in Latin.

What I’m wearing:

Silk vintage top from “TABULA RASA”
Long fold necklace by “Pellini Italy” (last seen in Mar. 16’10)
High-waisted, belted, linen shots by “Marciano”
Suede heels by “Modern Vintage” (last seen in Feb. 2’10)
Sunglasses by “MARNI” (last seen in Jan. 11’10)

Sheer Dot

lida — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 20:29:18 +0000

We celebrated a friend’s birthday last night so, as you can imagine, I’m a little low on energy today. I felt like wearing something light and delicate so I layered my sheer Etro blouse over a sheer polka-dot dress. The belt softens the transition from the one garment to another while visually separating them at the same time. The top part of the dress conveniently assumes the role of a camisole that a sheer blouse often requires and the bottom is turned into a skit. I’ve never layered sheer on sheer before but I think it works.

What I’m wearing:

Silk dress by “Alexandra” (my mommy bought it for me in Italy) (last seen in Feb. 17’10)
Silk top by “ETRO” (last seen in Mar. 7’10)
Leather belt by “Rough Roses” (last seen in Feb. 17’10)
Rolls Royce Fold-Over clutch by “Marc Jacobs” (last seen in Jan. 14’10)
Leather pumps by “Guillaume Hinfray” (last seen in Apr. 20’10)
Suede sleeveless coat by “Isaac Sellam” (last seen in Apr. 7’10)

Sea Lions

lida — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:44:27 +0000

On the plane back to Toronto, I was reminiscing on my days in California and I realized a little something. My last look in Cali was all about extremes. It’s intensely white, the pants are extremely high, the top is super short, the bag immoderately large, and my platforms notably chunky. It was as though I was unconsciously bringing our trip to a close by embodying the one characteristic that described the trip best – extreme…everything.

California is almost overwhelmingly beautiful and I hope to be back very soon.

BTW, the third picture is of sea lions in the area of Fisherman’s Wharf.

What I’m wearing:

High-waisted pants by “Marciano”
Silk crop top by “Cindy Lee”
Leather platforms by “Marciano”
Large leather bag by “Plinio Visona” (last seen in Apr. 4’10)
Necklace by ‘Ben-Amun” (last seen in Feb. 2’10)

falling for the falls

lida — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 15:16:00 +0000

On the way to the Buffalo airport this morning my parents and I decided to swing by Niagara Falls. Considering that Toronto is so close to Niagara, I’ve been there a few times before but it was never like this. I’ve discovered that experiencing the falls on a spring, weekday morning is a rare treat in itself. This insanely beautiful wonder of the world was entirely tourist free. Niagara was left to its own enchantments and magic (before we invaded it of course). It felt as though we had the falls to ourselves – surreal.

The shorts I’m wearing today have a story of their own. As you might have guessed, they used to be jeans with rips at the knees. I loved these Aberctombies but they quickly went from ‘distressed’ to plain stressed and tired. The rips got bigger with every wear and I figured it was time to put them out of their misery. Shortly after this realization, they had some ‘quality time’ with my scissors and the jeans where never the same again. This morning these ‘shorts’ popped into my head and I decided it was time for a revival. They are now knee length so I rolled them up for a more finished look.

I guess it’s true what they say…never give up on those you love .

What I’m wearing:

Distressed jean shorts by “Abercrombie & Fitch”
Knitted crochet cardigan by “YA-YA Aflalo”
Leather belt by “Fullum & Holt” (as seen in Apr. 11’10)
Silk top by “Rory Beca” (as seen in Feb. 5’10)
Pumps by “Guillaume Hinfray” (as seen in Apr. 11’10)
A strand of amber tied into a knot (my grandmother’s)
Large leather bag by “NICOLI” (as seen in Apr. 11’10)

Easter Special

lida — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 15:19:30 +0000

I hope you are all having an amazing Easter. Since it’s a special day for those of you who celebrate it or just like hard-boiled eggs and bunnies, here is a little something-something spicy to go with the eggs.

Click here to view the embedded video.

What I’m wearing:

Silk top by “SPORTMAX” (as seen in Nov. 24’09)
Vintage mini skirt
Leather sandals by “Marciano”
Paxiuba Uva short necklace by “Eskandar” (as seen in Mar. 25’10)

Bright Fuchsia

lida — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 15:45:30 +0000

Today’s look-of-the-day is of a fuchsia silk top and white shorts. It’s a vacation look that I put together on one of my trips to Santa Clara, Cuba. I love the combination of long tops and shorts in warm climates; it’s comfortable and leg-flattering. The double-layered silk chiffon creates a feeling of lightness, the fuchsia colour (through its brightness) intensifies the glow and radiance of the skin, and the shorts keep you comfortable and ready to dance. I added the pearl necklace to the look for additional sass and to further unify and relate the fuchsia to the white.

What I’m wearing:

Long silk top by “Black Halo”
Shorts by “Marciano”
Pearl/silver necklaces by “Peyote Bird” (as seen in Dec. 9’09)

Vacation Clothes (Beachwear)

lida — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:43:34 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

When you know your day’s gonna consist of three things

Ocean, beach, and unlimited drinks

There are certain clothes that you need to wear

To feel fabulous with that special flair

Tropical vacations are largely about laying in the sun with a margarita in your hand. Periodically, we all get those vacation-longing images in our minds of palm trees, hammocks on the beach, and sand under our happy feet. But to fashionistas, there is also a unique fashion-dimension to this experience. Tropical vacations are an opportunity to wear the lightest of fabrics in the brightest of colors. Fun clothes add the sizzle to your vacation-fizzle and elevate your degree of enjoyment from pleasant to unforgettable. Beachwear doesn’t have to be limited to Hawaiian-print wraps or straw hats anymore. Expand your beachwear possibilities by introducing silk dresses, large hats, bright jewelry, and cool beach bags to your looks. As hot as the beach already is, you can always work it!

When I say “expand” I mean it in multiple ways. For one thing, you should know that what I call “beach dresses” in my video were categorized as such by me and (as far as I know) were originally intended for general wear. Unless it’s a specialized store for vacation clothes or a resort collection – usually a pretty pricey options – clothing stores rarely carry lines exclusively dedicated to beachwear. So we have to use our own creativity and discretion to find garments with beach potential. The good thing is that this is easier then it seems. All you have to do is consider a few qualities of the garment: (1) its fabric, (2) its cut and silhouette, and (3) how easy is it to take off and put on.

(1) As I had mentioned in the video, whether the garment is made out of natural, light fabrics is one of the most important things to consider. Personally, I’m big on natural fabrics in general and I pay quite a bit of attention to the material composition of the clothes I wear. But when it comes to hot climates, I stress this point. Silk, linen, and cotton are your friends on the beach. Embrace and enjoy them.

(2) It’s preferable that the fit is loose. Just imagine walking on the beach along the ocean. Would you rather do it in something flowy, made of fabric that dances as the breeze throws and swooshes it against your skin, or in something tight, sticky, and constraining?

(3) In selecting pieces for the beach you need to consider whether its fit is conducive to lounging around, wearing over a bikini, and is easy to throw on and off. The garment needs to be as comfortable as you are spontaneous.

This is basically it. I guarantee that most of you have something in your closet that fulfills these requirements and would make a fabulous beach piece. Go check if I’m right and let me know. What I call “beach dresses” are just silk, often sheer, long tops.

More on this topic coming soon. This article is not over yet .

Green Panther

lida — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:51:51 +0000

When going out last night I felt like wearing something coquettish and feminine, so I wore a silk top with a high-waisted bubble skirt. But when putting the look together, it felt like the two pieces alone weren’t enough. I wanted to give it an edge and that wow-factor; I basically needed a statement piece to complete it. I chose the Mawi necklace for this task for a number of reasons: (a) its shape is complementary to the neckline of the top, (b) the colour pallete of the two pieces are in harmony, and (c) the necklace is so gorgeous that its impossible to resist.

I’ve included a picture of another girl wearing the same necklace in Ruby with a red dress. Its pretty swanky!

P.S. Look at the 5th picture. You can see the reflection of my brother, Taras, in the glass as he snaps the shot (talk about aesthetic transparency of production process).

What I’m wearing:

Panther head necklace with gold link chain and teardrops by “Mawi” (Gold plated necklace withteardrops and gold plated panther heads) (as seen in Royal-inspired Necklaces)
Silk Ora top by “Mademoiselle Parasuco”
Panther earrings with pearl clip by “Mawi” (Rose gold plated earrings with costume pearl clips and ruby Swarovski crystals)
Silk skirt by “Alberta Ferretti”
Nude tights by “Donna Karan”
Satin pumps
Crystal Nepal Ceylan Topaz ring by “Swarovski” (As seen in Dec. 13)

Panther Head Necklace with Gold Link Chain and Ruby Te

Green & Mustard Friday

lida — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:21:35 +0000

Today’s look-of-the-day is a colorful blend of mustard, forest-green, and blue. I felt like playing with color today and when I thought of my new Dries Van Noten silk kimono jacket the rest of the pieces were chosen to complement it. When putting together looks, I try not to resort to jeans because I feel that its an easy, and slightly boring, way out. In this case I would have preferred to wear a lose, flowy skirt but (in Toronto) we are now extremely limited in our fashion range because of weather limitations. This jacket is from Dries Van Noten’s spring 2008 collection. I’ve included 4 pictures of other kimono jackets and tops from the same collection to illustrate how creatively he plays with patterns and color. You have to be skilled and brave to pull-off mixing patterns, but there examples are still inspirational. In describing this collection Dries Van Noten said “I worked on printing several different patterns on one piece of material so that you can end up wearing four or five prints in just a couple of pieces.” How brilliantly wild of an idea.

What I’m wearing:

Silk kimono jacket by “Dries Van Noten”
Skinny jeans by “Denim Birds” (also seen in Nov. 10)
Silk top by “Rory Beca” (also seen in Nov. 28)
Finsbury Crisscross Mary Jane Pumps by “L.A.M.B” (also seen in Cashmere Dresses)
Long fish necklace by “Pellini Italy”
Multi-strand vintage-inspired metal/stone bracelet
Wild-pearl necklace (also seen in Nov. 12, Nov. 16)