Fashionista Talk » Twenty8twelve

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)

Straw It

lida — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 14:59:02 +0000

Today’s look-of-the-day is very straw happy. It was unusually hot for April yesterdays so, in the interest of savoring the moment and maximizing on the opportunity, we decided to go to the beach. It turned out to be something of a premature endeavour because it was too windy by the water and the beach was extremely overcrowded – I guess we were all a little eager. But the day was still beautiful and relaxing. I felt like wearing something flowy and romantic so I paired a loose silk dress with a high waist silk coat. I then added a straw tote and pumps for a fresh, quintessentially summer feel.

I featured this Michael Kors tote in my last video on Vacation Clothes so, for those of you who haven’t seen it, here it is:

Click here to view the embedded video.

What I’m wearing:

Silk dress by “Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent”
Silk coat by “twenty8twelve” (as seen in Feb. 10’10)
Straw pumps by “Betsey Johnson” (as seen in Dec. 23’09)
Santorini large straw tote by “Michael Kors” (as seen in Vacation Clothes)
Long necklace by “BLMA Venezia Italy” (as seen in Feb. 10’10)

Leather Pants

lida — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:03:04 +0000

I had been looking for a well-fitting pair of skinny leather pants and yesterday I finally found them at Club Monaco. I knew the moment had finally come as soon as I finished squeezing into them in the change room and looked in the mirror . The sales girl assured me that they would stretch to fit my body and considering that I have zero experience with faux leather I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. As you may have noticed, I’m a strong supporter of natural fabrics but I am willing to make a compromise for these babies. So far I’m satisfied (but them again, I’ve only worn them for a total of an hour).

In general I’ve observed that Club Monaco collections have significantly improved over the years. Their style has evolved from a realm of mere conservatism and minimalism to that of fashion-forward chicness and even tasteful glam. Apparently a team of new designers is responsible for this monumental shift and I applaud them for it.

This twenty8twelve blouse

What I’m wearing:

Faux leather pants by “Club Monaco”
Silk blouse by “twenty8twelve”
3 large crystal-encrusted bracelets by “Club Monaco”
Leather shoes by “Modern Vintage”
Simple headband by “H&M”
Purse by “Chloe” (as seen in Jan. 26′10, Feb. 14’10, Feb. 26’10)

Silk Cello

lida — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:16:21 +0000

Today’s look-of-the-day carries a musical theme, with an almost romantic air to it. After the Russian sauna, I went to a house party last night. It was being hosted by my brother, Taras and one of his friends – a professional cello player, Min. Wine, cheese, hookah, and heated debates on the topic of ‘free will vs. determinism’ made the party engaging and relaxing at the same time. The apple-pie and mojitos were also a nice touch. Good job guys…’Great Success’!!!

Aesthetically speaking, I thoroughly enjoyed my choice of wardrobe for the night. I was originally planning to wear my Temperley London dress that I haven’t shown you yet. But I am so glad that I didn’t because I would have felt too uncomfortable sitting on the floor in it. This flowy twenty8twelve silk dress made me feel feminine, pretty, and comfortable at the same time.

What I’m wearing:

Silk dress by “twenty8twelve”
Gold heart necklace (as seen in Feb. 14’10)
Nude tights by “Calvin Klein”
Shoes by “Elie Tahari” (as seen in Jan. 24′10, Feb. 23’10)
Gold link bracelet (as seen in Jan. 25′10, Jan. 17′10, Jan. 5′10, Nov. 30′09, Feb. 14’10)
Coat by “twenty8twelve” (as seen in Nov. 12, Dec. 9, Dec. 15’09)

Dusty Bluish-Grey

lida — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:46:04 +0000

I was asked a question recently in relation to sequin dresses and I thought that it might be helpful for me to answer it on the blog. This was the message from one of my YouTube subscribers : “I want to wear a silver clingy, one shoulder sequin dress, but I hate my legs. Would be okay if I wore tall leather boots instead of pumps?”

Here was my reply:

Wearing boots instead of pumps is perfectly fine. The only thing is that I would make sure the boots in themselves are relatively simple so as not to overdo it. I also probably wouldn’t go with a really high, over-the-knee boot because it might be a little much with a sequin dress; sort of like ‘lady-of-the-night does disco’ . A simple tall leather boot would look nice though. If the boots are black, I would probably pair them with black opaque tights because I wouldn’t want to draw too many lines across the body – first the bottom of the dress and then the top of the boot. I think it looks more flattering and cleaner when the boots are integrated into the look with tights.

So there you have it. If pumps are a problem boots are the fix!

Today’s look-of-the-day is in the bluish-grey color scheme. I love playing with colour in general and I especially love combining pieces that look so compatible in their tone, style, and texture qualities that they appear almost inseparable. The combination of the silk coat, the boots, and the dress exemplifies just that. However, the bright chunky necklace is the wild card. While on the one hand it seems to relate to the effect of the look there is also something awkward in its inclusion. I like to add one borderline ‘unharmonizing’ piece in order to make the outfit less ‘matchy matchy’ (as Bruno would put it).

What I’m wearing:

Dress by “Marc by Marc Jacobs” (as seen in St. Petersburg)
Silk coat by “twenty8twelve – by s.miller” (as seen in St. Petersburg)
Necklace by “BLMA Venezia Italy”
Ankle boots by “Gil Carvalho” (as seen in Jan. 14’10)
Nude tights by “Donna Karan”

Cozy in Blue

lida — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:02:31 +0000

Since it’s Thursday today I’m going to have to keep this look-of-the-day post short, because, as some of you may know, I have a banya to go to. For this look I paired a cashmere sweater dress with a cropped tuxedo jacket and a long necklace. When the climate permits, I could also wear this tuxedo jacket with a simple tee and a mini or over a silk dress (as Sienna Miller has done in the last picture).

What I’m wearing:

Cashmere sweater dress by “Alisha Levine” (as seen in Cashmere Dresses)
Opaque tights by “Holt Renfrew”
Long necklace by “Lee Angel” (as seen in Cashmere Dresses)
Chunky ring by “Lee Angel”
Cropped tuxedo jacket “Twenty8twelve”
Boots by “Guillaume Hinfray” (as seen in Jan. 18’10, Jan. 13’10)

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 .

Pinstripe Glam

lida — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:03:53 +0000

I will be publishing a new video today on gloves. I hope you’ll find it useful. Today’s look-of-the-day is of a pinstripe wool dress that includes an inner boned corset and the Dolce & Gabbana signature touch – the exposed metal zipper. The tone of this dress exudes an element of conservatism and strictness that is quite unusual for its designers and I wanted to both playfully highlight and modify this quality; hence, the necklace. The necklace is an embodiment of aesthetic contradiction. It’s a loose choker made of plain rope, crocheted girly trim, pearl beads, and a rough safety hood locking it together in the back. The layered metal chains in the shoes and this multifaceted statement necklace moderate and funkify the look, while staying within the realm of elegant refrain.

What I’m wearing:

Pinstripe dress by “Dolce & Gabbana”
Necklace by “Ligia Dias”
Shoes by “L.A.M.B (Yoyo Chainmail T-Strap sandal with multicolor, layered chain)
Plastic flower ring (I bought in Cuba for one convertible peso)
Coat by “twenty8twelve” (as seen in Nov. 12, Dec. 9)

Pearly Cream

lida — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:48:43 +0000

I just came back from having brunch, and let me tell you, the weather in Toronto is unbelievable right now. It’s super slushy and dark. We were planning on walking there but upon hearing the concierge in our building ask us “Do you guys like slushies?” and seeing just exactly what he meant after stepping outside for a second, we quickly turned around and proceeded to walk towards the car. If you are planning on walking further than a few meters in this weather, a full rain get-up (see rain-clothes video) would serve you well on this weather monstrosity of a day. Despite the apparent grayness, I decided to play around with creamy tones today; accentuated by tons of pearl. Notice how Jeremy Laing’s skirt looks on the runway compared with the look-of-the-day version without his jacket. While it might be fun sometimes, in wearing designer clothes you obviously don’t need to replicate the exact vision of its creator. It’s like I always say, “If its on you, its right!”

What I’m wearing:

Skirt by “Jeremy Laing”
Cashmere top by “Club Monaco”
Nude tights by “Donna Karan”
Tank-top by “James Perse”
Vintage leather boots by “10 Parks” (as seen in Nov. 17)
Coat by “Twenty8twelve” (as seen in Nov. 12)
Cashmere cardigan by “Julie & Jack”
2 different wild-pearl necklace
Pearl/silver necklaces by “Peyote Bird”
Pearl/gold 5-strand bracelet by “Mirale & Aya”
Cashmere scarf