Willing Whitley

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For my journalism course at school, an assignment of mine was to interview an entrepreneur I admire. I was thrilled to have a chance to talk with stylist and style editor, Whitley Adkins.

Whitley Adkins is not your regular mom. Between being a teacher to her two young boys for online classes in the morning, and stylist to Charlotte’s elite by the afternoon, Adkins continuously has a plethora of things on her (very fashionable) plate.

Whether it’s running at least eight miles a day or dressing in vintage, quirky, and euphoria-inducing outfits, Adkins, 43, strives to stay energetic in all her endeavors. As one of the Queen City’s most prominent wardrobe stylists and style editors for SouthPark Magazine, she is at the pinnacle of all things fashion and has been for quite some time. Almost ten years, to be exact.

 In early November over Zoom, Adkins presents herself in the most whimsical of looks: A hot-pink-and-red-patterned Marni dress paired with a vintage pistachio green belt cinched around her svelte, athletic frame. Her wavy hazelnut-colored hair stays atop her head in a loose top-knot. In contrast with a slim face, big, brown, doe-like eyes make Adkins appear child-like and always in a state of wonder— taking everything in. Her thick and charming southern accent is as soothing as a light summer drizzle.

She is delighted to show off her outfit over the video chat and shimmies about displaying the frock in all its grandeur. But behind this busy and bustling entrepreneur is a woman who has known her career aspirations since she was a child, even if she didn’t pursue them until much later in life and even if she is still working to follow them today.

Growing up in Asheville, NC, Adkins was always surrounded by fashion and what she calls “style and taste that rivals anyone’s.” Style and taste were brought to Adkins in the form of her grandmother and great grandmother. “I was exposed at a really young age to high fashion, beautiful fashion,” Adkins remembers.

As a young child, Adkins distinctly recalls when she knew fashion was in her future. “I would go through my dad’s Town & Country subscription and cut out all the images from the runway shows, and I would make my own look-book of outfits I liked,” she says with a hearty laugh.

When it was time to go to college, Adkins was awarded a tennis scholarship to St. Mary’s College in Raleigh with plans to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill after her time at the two-year college was finished. An avid athlete throughout her life, Adkins decided to major in Nutrition with a minor in Exercise Sports Science at UNC: Chapel Hill but was met with a massive hurdle. “I cannot do math. I cannot do science,” Adkins admits with another laugh, this one more self-deprecating than the last. She realized this was the wrong path, and in a sudden change, she decided to major in Communication Studies (she still completed the Exercise Sports Science minor) towards the end of her junior year.

After school, Adkins was determined to take a bite out of “The Big Apple” and lived in New York City for two years. As a personal assistant to seven top supermodels and three prominent fashion stylists, along with always holding a steady nanny job, Adkins was extremely busy.

But it wasn’t always easy— Adkins struggled immensely throughout her time in the city. “Even though I absolutely loved it, I always joke that I loved New York City, but it did not love me back. I had three jobs and was hospitalized twice,” she says.

“The first emergency surgery was close to Thanksgiving, and I was in New York City alone. I got on the crosstown bus and hobbled off to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Santa was passing when I got there, and I was just standing in the rain,” she remembers.

After going through numerous traumatizing experiences like her apartment getting broken into or having heroin addicts vandalize it, Adkins realized New York was not the place for her. “I sat on my bed and cried. I was basically admitting defeat,” she says.

When deciding what her next move would be, Adkins was conflicted about two North Carolina cities but ultimately decided on one she would call home. “I thought Asheville would be too small, so I decided on Charlotte, which was clean and green, and upwardly mobile,” she says. One of her first jobs in Charlotte included working for the American Cancer Society as an Events Manager for the “Relay for Life” race.

But Adkins’ big break occurred when she met “serial entrepreneur” Anne Pipkin. Pipkin, the Gorgeous Glo salon owner in Charlotte, introduced Adkins to her early entrepreneurial endeavor, Private Placement— the first nanny placement service in Charlotte. “She was such a great mentor to me,” Adkins says of Pipkin. Adkins ended up operating Private Placement for eight years until she was pregnant with her second son. Pipkin allowed Adkins to “take a step back and be a mom,” but very soon after the birth of her second boy in 2011, Adkins realized that she “was not being fulfilled personally.”

“I was in my basement, and that’s when I threw myself into all things creative like painting furniture, sewing curtains, playing dress-up in my grandmother’s clothes, redecorating my house every week. And I was writing– That’s when Lucky Magazine happened,” Adkins says.

Lucky Magazine, the now-folded Condé Nast publication, was a purveyor of fun, fresh, and funky fashion— the perfect match to Adkins’ aesthetics. “They had a column on the back page called ‘My Mom the Style Icon.’ Diana Ross and Naomi Campbell’s mothers were featured, as well. I thought I’m going to send them a photo of my grandmother and great grandmother,” Adkins says.

The photo submission was very successful, to say the least. Lucky decided to publish the image in 2011, making Adkins one of the only non-celebrity contributors to the magazine’s back page. “It was like a major endorsement, and it gave me a lot of confidence,” Adkins says of the experience.

Soon after, Adkins was hearing from friends that “blogs” were the next “big thing,” but Adkins was more “confused” than anything about the notion. One day, Adkins received an email from Who What Wear, a prominent fashion blog, inviting her to a conference in New York City that the blog was hosting with, sure enough, Lucky Magazine on the future of fashion.

After attending that pivotal conference, Adkins took action to continue having her voice be heard— She created a blog entitled The Queen City Style— a name encompassing her current location and forever passion. “I think I had the first fashion blog in Charlotte,” she says.

The blog exploded, and as a result, Charlotte Parent Magazine took notice. The magazine asked Adkins to write a monthly column on “Mommy-and-me” style. “I was really advocating to look your best,” Adkins says of the column.

“Someone saw the column and contacted me and said, ‘I saw your post; can I pay you to dress me?’” Adkins says of her first professional styling experiences. Almost immediately after, Adkins accumulated clients and friends flocking to her sense of self and style.

Friend and client, Pam Stowe, sees Adkins “as part of my family now” after first meeting her at a trunk show six years ago. “She is one of the kindest people. She’s fun to be with, and she’s really honest,” Stowe says. “When my mother passed away, Whitley had a painting made of one of my favorite pictures I took of my mother’s hands,” Stowe recalls of her friend.

Vintage clothing dealer and House of Landor owner Mary Beth Paulsen feels a similar way. “She’s helped me grow my business tremendously. She did an entire vintage photoshoot for SouthPark Magazine with my stuff. It was amazing,” Paulsen exclaims.

Speaking of SouthPark Magazine, years before becoming the Style Editor for the publication, just a dream of Adkins’ was to be featured in the “Scene and Heard” column of it.

At the time, Adkins had sent SouthPark eight images from a photoshoot she had done in her home. While SouthPark had agreed to run four images initially, the magazine decided to print all eight images after being so impressed with Adkins’ vision and style. In 2019, Adkins assumed the role of Style Editor for SouthPark Magazine.

As her styling and magazine work picked up, The Queen City Style was neglected. “My styling business grew, and I did not have time to focus on the blog,” she admits. Adkins rebranded in 2020 to WhitleyAdkins.com as her website title but still keeps a section of the website dedicated to The Queen City Style. Looking back, Adkins says, “The Queen City Style was basically my own little fashion editorial since there is no Vogue in Charlotte.”

One of Adkins’ favorite concepts she’s been able to create for SouthPark Magazine was the conception of the “It List.” “There is so much art and fashion and style in Charlotte, so I pitched this idea to SouthPark,” she says. The “It List” has been a staple of the magazine for several years now, with the most recent list having all Black subjects in response to the Black Lives Matter movement. The all-Black list was entirely Adkins’ idea, as well.

Another proud moment for Adkins includes when her alma mater UNC: Chapel Hill, asked her to speak for three days at the school’s interdisciplinary design program, FashionMash. When talking to the students, Adkins maintained that she’s never been “glamorized by fame or fortune,” mentioning that “if anything, I’m more drawn to people in the trenches.” But Adkins was also quick to note that everything usually comes at a price. “The first year I was on my own with my business, I also went through a divorce,” she admits.

Her advice to anyone feeling lost after school as she did all those years ago? “Please know that this is normal. The people that have it all figured out are not normal,” she emphasizes.

Though Adkins’ southern drawl is intoxicatingly calming, a shift in her voice occurs at the end of the conversation. Her passion and determination are evident when she concludes with saying, “If something excites you, do it. If you don’t get the support you deserve, just keep walking towards the light.”

Going for the Glossier

Will my obsession with Glossier ever end? Doubtful- but it never hurts to write another piece about one of my favorite makeup brands ever! This is a piece I have written for my professor in my Fashion Journalism class in school. 

 

“Oh my gosh,” I mutter as I look into the mirror at Glossier in Covent Garden. This quiet exclamation of terror stems from the fact that the fluorescent orange lip gloss I have just put on is let’s just say, not my color.

Do not get me wrong; Glossier is one of my favorite make-up and skincare brands to date because of its easy and accessible appeal. I just made the rare mistake of choosing a product that, I believe, did not suit me.

After I wipe off the lip stain, I move onto the same lip stain now in a different color. Success! The lip stain called “Vinylic Lip” in color “Blow-Up” perfectly suits my already pink pout. The formula is moisturizing, glossy and most of all packs a pretty punch. I buy it along with a new favorite product of mine— a serum called “Futuredew” that gives anyone the dreamiest complexion. I am convinced it is pure magic.

Recently, Glossier has revolutionized the way the beauty industry perceives typical “beauty” standards. Rarely, a brand like Glossier makes it into the mainstream with its lax approach to how one should apply makeup. Glossier really believes one’s hands are the best tools and that a natural, playful look is the best one of all.

The company does not sell on false promises— Glossier’s website discusses its best and worst reviews of every product equally. It is difficult to even find any negative reviews of Glossier’s products because of the massive amount of fans this brand has accumulated in recent years.

Glossier with now-famous products such as “Boy Brow” (a brow pomade) and “Haloscope” (a dewy highlighter) heighten one’s natural beauty and does not obscure it into something entirely unrecognizable.

With those two products as the jumping-off point for expansion, Glossier has delved into all things beauty from zippy eyeliners to now legitimate skincare products (the company’s acne care line has been hailed as revolutionary for those suffering from spots).

But the crowning jewel of Glossier’s success could be in its foray into fragrance. Glossier’s signature scent dubbed “You” is a unisex perfume that is spectacular for one’s senses. I was given a bottle for Christmas last year, and I cherish it deeply. Pink and red on the outside, but with notes of musk, ambrette, ambrox, and a sprinkle of pink pepper on the inside, “You” will make you smell delectable.

When I make my way into Glossier, decorated in varying pastel palettes of roses (aptly so as the store is on Rose Street), I am hardly shocked that the store has the distinct and lovely aroma of “You” along with hoards of customers jumping at the chance to try on all available samples.

I, along with these customers, try on everything I can from the inky and elongating mascara called “Lash Slick” to the creamy and classic lip balm “Balm Dotcom” in a variety of flavors ranging from mango to mint.

So when I make my way to try on “Vinylic Lip” after successful endeavors at other stations, I am confident to attempt a color that is not typically used in my makeup routine. Although the tangerine hue may not have been successful today, with Glossier’s faith that anyone can rock any look, I may be tempted to try that color one more time.

 

 

Factual Fashion: Jacquard Edition

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It can come in a luxurious floral print, a shiny paisley loafer, or even a ferocious tiger-printed sweater. But what do all three of these seemingly different items have in common? The answer is the use of a jacquard print or loom to create the fabric. Though Jacquard has roots in the early sixth century, its popularity began to rise in the early 19th century. Named after creator Joseph M. Jacquard, jacquard sparked a revolution in the creation of the look of embellishment in clothing. More than anything, the jacquard loom helped streamline the process of creating patterns such as damask, brocade, and matelassé, which were typically painstakingly produced by hand. What makes jacquard different is that the complex designs are woven into the fabric instead of being placed on top, which was the process in the early centuries. The resulting patterns are opulent to the eye and were coveted by women and men alike in the early centuries as a way to flaunt wealth. At one point in time, the jacquard fabric was only offered to the upper nobility on account of its luxe look. 

Designers throughout time have consistently used jacquard fabrics including brocade, damask, and other intricate fabric embellishments in their collections. More than ever, designers are using jacquard embellishments on fabrics ranging from silk to cotton because of today’s increase in technology for textile looms. For example, Louis Vuitton throughout the brand’s more recent collections has seen a resurgence in the use of a brocade pattern. A purple and blue rose-patterned-brocade, placed against a silver background, sets the stage in the form of a show-stopping jumpsuit with ruffled shoulders or even a sleek deep-cut mini dress. Vuitton has also incorporated the elegant brocade look into an ocean-blue vest embellished to perfection in a variety of gold and silver hues. 

Gucci is another fashion house that uses jacquard regularly in collections. From chunky loafers to silk headbands, the use of jacquard fabric gives Gucci its trademark “unusual-chic” style generated by creative director, Alessandro Michele. Canadian and Turkish designer Erdem Moralioglu has always championed the brocade throughout his many collections. This season, shown at London Fashion Week, was no different with looks having been inspired by Italian Principessa, Orietta Doria Pamphilj. Fuschia and cherry-red flowers adorned full-volume skirts in sleek black fabrics as the model’s cat-eyes darted on and off the runway. 

Today the look and feel of a brocade or damask fabric still resonate as a lavish design, even as trends have passed throughout time. Maybe it is the use of many colors and shapes that draw fashion lovers in, or maybe it is the intricate hand-made look that resonates with others as well. Whatever the reason may be, the jacquard look will always reign when it comes to opulent style.  

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Image via Pinterest

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Image via Louis Vuitton’s Website

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Image via Neiman Marcus’ Website

For Mr. Lagerfeld

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It is hard to wrap my mind around the events of today. Chanel creative director Karl Lagerfeld has passed away. This is a statement hard to believe and something I do not want to even process. The immense sadness and crushed feeling has been lingering with many today, including myself. With extreme sadness, a realization came to me that talking about Karl Lagerfeld’s pure ingenuity and genius will now be a topic of the past. Though his legacy will always continue on, many will be feeling melancholic for his designs and wonderful attributes– including his photography skills, generosity, and his sense of humor.

When I first began to take a serious interest in fashion, my go to brand for extravagant and classic fashion, like many people, was Chanel. When you wanted to know what was going to be “next” in the fashion world, Mr. Lagerfeld always pointed us towards the light of a new age of fashion. Every season something new and beautiful would always be produced, yet no season was the same as another. He created opportunities to take fashion places it less commonly goes like in Dallas, Texas for a Métiers d’Art show and Havana, Cuba almost immediately after the country was open to visitors, and metaphorically like his recent Egyptian themed collection. Always inventive, he excelled and performed exceptionally time and time again collection after collection. Chanel, synonymous with the likes of founder Coco Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld himself, is the epitome of innovation today. The storied brand produces over five collections a year– a massive feat for any designer. More than that, Mr. Lagerfeld in his later age still was involved in the process of creating the collections daily.

Lagerfeld with his work at Chanel and Fendi has created worlds that fashion lovers alike want to envelope themselves in. He created atmospheres that only heightened the clothing, not take away from it. The massive iceberg or the waterfall or even the spaceship are representations of his pure imagination. I will yearn for his sets that give us glimpses into his mind and his reasoning behind choosing them too. I have loved seeing his innovation play out in other ways in addition to the miraculous clothing he made.

Though I did not know Karl Lagerfeld his work touched me, moved me deeply, and most of all confirmed that fashion, as beautiful and fanciful it may seem from the surface, can shock our cores and touch us all in the most indescribable ways. He often left me speechless because of the wonder of his work. How we all will miss him so.

 

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Image via BBC

An Ode to Glossier

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Hello! Once again I am sharing an article that I have written for my school’s fashion magazine, Pack Fashion. It’s about the makeup brand Glossier that I have been a long time advocate of from the start. Quite simply this article is a love letter to the makeup brand that started a revolution in letting natural beauty be more than enough. Please enjoy!

What is “everyday beauty” when you’re in college? Do you put on a full face of makeup only for it to melt away on the way to class, or do you not put any makeup on at all and go about your day in a fresh-faced kind of way? For those of the latter, the brand Glossier is ideal for college students. With Glossier more suited for a college budget, what you are offered is for certain what you get and more. Their award-winning perfume, “You” is a unisex scent that is irresistible with notes of ambrette, ambrox, and musk. 

Among their makeup products, their “Boy Brow” is a top seller for many reasons. It helps your brows look defined without looking drawn on, and the formula is so soft it does not make your brows feel stiff either. What makes Glossier so wonderful– and especially wonderful for college students– is how easy the products are to use and that above all else you still look like you after applying the makeup. The eyeshadows called “Lidstar” are offered in a plethora of dreamy colors ranging from an earthy green to pale lilac. The creamy formula is simple to apply as it comes out of a lipgloss tube; it enhances your natural look even more so. 

Glossier also features a variety of models with varying skin tones and different assets to one’s face whether it be a splotch of freckles or a distinctive beauty mark. Glossier embraces differences and celebrates the little things that make us all who we are threefold. The most important aspect this brand embraces is that one’s natural beauty does transcend all the makeup in the world, but a little swipe of lipstick doesn’t hurt from time to time. 

 

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Image via Glossier.com

In Living Color

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Below is my second article for my school’s magazine. I have always been inspired by how color can affect our moods, transport us to different places, and even bring up nostalgic times. This article was a fascinating write for me, and I hope you will be energized to invigorate some “Ultra Violet” into your life!

“Inventive and Imaginative, Ultra Violet lights the way to what is yet to come.” Pantone, the global authority on color, chose a vibrant and lush variation of the purple hue for its color of the year. Founded in 1962, Pantone established itself as a company that manufactured color cards for cosmetics. As time went on, the company gained fame for its color-matching system that identically matched colors to swatches. Fast forward to 2000 and Pantone was still held in high regards by design professionals everywhere. When the company in the early 2000’s introduced coffee mugs available in every color imaginable, the mugs set off a surge of interest in the Pantone company even more so. When selecting a specific color, whether it be a burnt orange called “Flame” or a light beige-y pink called “Pale Dogwood,” these mugs left plenty of room for self-expression in way of drinking coffee. If there’s any color you’re thinking of, Pantone has it (and even has a specific name for it).

But in the year 2000, Pantone established itself again not only as a color company but as a purveyor of color trends to come by creating a “Color of the Year.” In 2000, it was Cerulean, in 2012 it was “Tangerine Tango,” and so on. Now in 2018, the princely purple color of “Ultra Violet” reigns. According to Leatrice Eiseman, the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, this year’s color suggests the “mysteries of the cosmos, the intrigue of what lies ahead,” and that there are “discoveries beyond where we are now.” David Bowie and Prince (Purple Rain, anyone?), after their recent passings, are noted as influencers of this choice of color as these two musical icons represent free expression and non-conformity, which is becoming more and more of an accepted lifestyle in our society today. Pantone has always been a company known for its choice in outstanding color, but more than that and more than ever, Pantone makes us see that color is more than just a shade of a dress or the pigment in a lipstick. Color really is an essential component of our lives that helps us express who we really are.

“Mad” For TV’s Influence on Fashion

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Hello all!! Well, I cannot believe it has taken me so long to write my first post while in college but here it is! This piece I am about to share was published in my college’s fashion magazine. I am so excited to share this work with you as it is one of my favorite articles I have ever written. 

Ever binge-watched a TV show on Netflix? Probably. But have you ever gone so far as to emulate the show in your personal style? It isn’t that uncommon to do so as there is so much to be inspired by in the world of television. TV shows create alternate universes or transport us to times we were not a part of, but after watching we feel we were present with those characters.

One TV show particularly sparked a revolution in retro dressing, bringing back A-line skirts and kitten heels among other timeless styles. This show, Mad Men, made women around the world wild for feminine styles emulating Jackie Kennedy with nipped waists and collarless dresses. Mad Men spans the decade of the 1960’s leading up to 1970’s, and by watching this show, audiences have gained a plethora of inspiration from the styles shown by the brilliant costume designer, Janie Bryant.

Bryant creates a world through her designs in which celebrities and designers alike have joined the retro revival style-wise. Designer Louis Vuitton featured a leather camel A-line skirt paired with a floral bustier, thick black straps, and leather camel gloves in his Fall 2010 collection. This look demonstrated the polished mood from the 60’s while still remaining modern. Even the shoes, dainty kitten heels with big yellow bows, give a nod to the 60’s. Bryant also created an extremely successful collection for Banana Republic, giving shoppers of America a new rendition of 60’s style by way of cigarette trousers, leopard print, and of course cat-eye sunglasses.

It’s safe to say television shows inspire people in real life when it comes to dressing, and it’s exciting to see how fashion and TV work together to help create fabulous style for everyone, and bring back blasts from the past in the fashion department.

Banana Republic Mad Men Collection

Janie Bryant for Banana Republic (above)

Michael Kors

Michael Kors Collection

Louis Vuitton Fall 2010 Ready to Wear

Louis Vuitton Fall 2010

All images via google

 

 

 

 

Proenza’s Parisian Power

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Hello there! Starting off Haute Couture Week in Paris, Proenza Schouler has decided to show their Spring 2018 collection in the company of couturiers like Dior and Chanel. Rodarte and other brands as well have decided to present their spring collections in Paris to gain better world recognition among other reasons. Proenza Schouler’s collection was just as fabulous as all the other collections I have had the joy of viewing. Though this collection veered more into the cocktail aspect of clothing, it was very wearable but with a little extra flair that made this collection so special. The color palette for one was perfect: crisp and clean with superb embellishments like feathers, lace, poppy prints, and of course beautiful accessories (take a look at those feathery earrings!). The cutouts and ruffles play off of the idea of hard-and-soft, and every season when I think of Proenza Schouler, I can only think of how the clothes can appeal practically to any woman whether she loves leather or lace. There is something for everyone.

 

Images via VogueRunway

London Loving

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Across the pond the action is heating up despite the low temperatures. First off, Christopher Kane’s show was absolutely delightful. I thoroughly enjoyed his more feminine approach and now can proudly say I want to own a pair of crocs, but only if they’re from his brand… The textures and plethora of colors kept me intrigued throughout the whole show, and if you look closely, another shoe design of his is heels with foam peeking out of course. He’s just trying to make heels more comfortable while starting probably one of the newest and most popular trends in the future.

Erdem was an absolute dream. Erdem Moralioglu’s inspiration behind his collection was the fantasy meeting of his two great grandmothers, and the result of that imaginary meeting was fantastic. I really love how he can make possibly the most frilly and girly dress imaginable but still manage to make it strong and innovative.

Even though Burberry’s collection is See-Now-Buy-Now for Spring 2017, it has to be one of Christopher Bailey’s best collections for the brand. I absolutely adored the use of white, khaki, and navy together, which may seem quite basic, but with the lace and the structure of the clothing, there was nothing basic about this collection.

Marques’ Almeida is street style gold. Any one of those looks could be seen on the street, and these looks are so wearable, fresh, and exciting because there is something for everyone in that collection.

J.W. Anderson was really fascinating to me. I can safely say every look I saw was like nothing I’d ever seen before, which, of course, is a testament to Anderson’s creativity. I especially loved the strapless dress with the raw zipper in the middle of the bust. It was so simple yet very elegant and new. 

Mary Katrantzou was inspired by the movie Fantasia, and the clothes were exceptional. I miss her wacky prints and embellishments, but I think now she has progressed into a more mature designer, which translates in her clothes. Seeing the story of the movie play out in the clothes was a very smart way to make her collection even more cohesive.

Versus Versace always is just a badass show. Every. Time. This collection, neon mixed with grunge in the best way possible, and it made me want to buy a leather dress with slits up the side immediately. So that’s it for now! See you in Milan. Ciao!

Images via Vogue Runway

The American Way

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New York fashion week is finally here again. The snow and freezing weather are no issue at all when it comes to the opportunity of seeing the upcoming fall fashions. Starting off with Calvin Klein, the brand now under the tenure of Raf Simons is quite delightful; it is really wonderful to see him again as I really adored his time at Dior.  This time around it’s no different: he is really talented. Though the clothes shown are drastically different from his collections at Dior, I really liked it. From the defined structure of his suits to his recurring knee length hemline, it is a mixture of feminine but with an edge. And that yellow trench coat encased in plastic is an immediate mood booster.

It’s been 10 years since Jason Wu started his brand and I have to say this collection is one of my favorites. It has every aspect that I find really intriguing in fashion these days. I love his off-the-shoulder pieces but also his choice of texture and colors was exceptional. And that finale dress with strips of skin peeking out was so sophisticated and sexy rolled into one.

Jonathan Simkhai has been on my radar ever since the beginning of last year. And he does not disappoint. His clothes are very feminine in my opinion, but I really love that look anyway. I especially enjoy his dresses with the high slits and the off-the-shoulder look that puts the collarbone on full display.

Sies Marjan was bright and beautiful. The mini skirts with flowing trains were my favorite part. But I do have to say the robin egg’s blue look with the model’s complementary hair still remains one of my favorite looks.

Altuzarra was inspired by the Renaissance period of history. All the looks, complete with pearl headbands and dangly earrings, were quite a different side to the usual Altuzarra. And I really liked it. The velvet was beautiful, and I absolutely adore his rendition of the classic suit.

J. Crew. What can I say? Every single piece was something I covet and REALLY want to wear! So I just had to settle on my very favorites. But, really, Jenna Lyons is a genius because the clothes are so contemporary but so classic at the same time.

Proenza Schouler was its typical fierce and strong self. The clothes shellacked and cut out into different cut-outs was truly innovative.

I am quite surprised as to how much I adore Monse. This time around, the clothes were just incredible and wearable but very new too. I especially loved that velvet yellow flowing top with the black cigarette pants.

And now to Oscar de la Renta! The new creative directors (also the designers at Monse!) blew me away with their new take on the storied Oscar de la Renta house. I was so very impressed as they kept with the classic and feminine look but also made things interesting, especially, with the bright-red sash draped around one model’s waist with a heavily embroidered strapless top as well.

The Michael Kors Collection is always something to behold. The classic American designer can do no wrong in my book with his incredible, wearable, and extremely wonderful clothes. I loved the barely-there makeup paired with the glittering dresses sashaying down the runway with fringe shaking all about. So that about does it for New York Fashion Week. See you across the pond!