Legacies and Links

I am happy to announce that my post about the amazing and iconic Jeanette "Cookie" Cooke-Dabney, The Life of a Legend and Death of a Diva, was selected this week to be featured among the 20 best links to be rounded up by Independent Fashion Bloggers and included in Links à la Mode.  I am looking forward to reading all the posts (listed below) and I urge you to do the same.  I am so very glad more people will know more about Cookie and how beautiful a person she was.  It really means a lot to me to be able to share the life of my friend, model, and muse, if only in a small way.  Cookie's life, love, and legacy should be shared...Cookie, as well as her family, deserves that and so much more.  She is greatly missed but never forgotten.

~

Stepping Up the Style

The thing that keeps fashion interesting is that it's a never-ending project. But that doesn't mean we don't like to strive for perfection anyway. Whether it be following your favorite fashion icons, saying no to the trends, or breaking cliches, style can always be stepped up even when we simplify our wardrobes. This week we have a solid round up of style related posts, so be sure to check them all out!

Links à la Mode: January 23rd

• Al Balsam Life: Dress For Business: Spring 2014 Mens' Edition
• April to August: Review: Zara Pointed Ankle Strap Flats
• Burgundy Whispers: Winter Essentials
• Corinne Monique: The Life of a Legend and Death of a Diva
• Elegance Hunter: How to Succeed at PFW
• Fashioned by Love: 5 Dresses Every Woman Should Own: It's a Wrap
• Flower City Fashionista: What Not To Wear, Even When People Tell You You Should
• Frantic but Fabulous: How to Steal Outfit Ideas from Your Favorite Magazines
• Free Ur Closet: Eco Love: Fashion and Beauty
• Hunting in Heels: Hardcore Metal: 5 Metallic Shoe Picks
• Lara Lizard: I'm a better blogger because I'm prettier
• My Fashion S/ash Life: Short Afro Heroes
• Rhinestone Religion: 5 Winter Skin Lifesavers
• Romeo Style: Monday Men Style: Shoulder Slingers
• Style Bizarre: Get the Style of Omahyra Mota
• Sweet on Style: DIY Headbands
• The Stylish Butterfly: Black and Gold Artsy Nails You Can't Wait to Try
• The Undercover Princess: Breaking the Prom Cliches
• V is for Violet: Fashion Design and Merchandizing Professions
• We Are Ready Made: Sex is Around The Corner

SPONSOR: EastDane David Galan, IRO.Jeans, MSGM, Raleigh Denim, Tretorn Shoes, Jack Spade, Ullens, Ferragamo, Rivieras, The Natural 

Roundup Redux

How exciting is this?!  I've made Independent Fashion Blogger's Links à la Mode again!  Thank you IFB!  I am so grateful to be chosen alongside these other fantastic bloggers - please be sure to read their posts!!!

Picture Perfect

Whether it be styling the right outfit, looking good in glasses, or finding treasures in your closet, ultimately as fashion bloggers we share our fashion story. Through words or through photography, this roundup takes a closer look at making life more beautiful, fashion icons like Lilly Pulitzer who passed away over the weekend, Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli.. and the downward spiral of the house of Saint Laurent. What are we going to do to keep the world beautiful? Sustainable fashion and shopping our closets? And how will we document it.. there are fantastic photo tutorials in the mix to. Enjoy!

Links à la Mode: The IFB Weekly Roundup, April 11th

• Aesthete News: Saint Laurent Goes Rogue with Marilyn Manson and More
• Clever Little Buttons: Fashion Icon Lilly Pulitzer - I will Miss Her
• Coco and Picasso: "Fashion is a B*tch"
• Corinne Monique: The Year of the Serpent
• DIY Doyenne: Iconic Figures in Fashion: Chanel and Schiaparelli
• Ethical Fashion Blog: Is there a sustainable fashion revolution taking place?
• Fashion is Evolution: Adventures in Free-lensing
• Floral & Flannel: Four Eyed and Fabulous
• Inspirations and Celebrations: Designer Spotlight - Lilly Pulitzer
• Magnolia Reverie: Some tips for self-portraits
• Margo and Me: California Coachella Cool
• Miss S.J.: J Brand Denim Dedication at The Dressing Room
• Oh to be a Muse: What's Your Shoe Game Like?
• Rose and Pine: Spring Florals for Under $85!
• Real Girl Glam: 4 Ways to Wear Boyfriend Jeans
• Tailor Spy: Welcome to Buttons State!
• Twelve52: Does Beauty Blogging Make Us More Self-Conscious?
• The Fashionable Wife: Shopping Your Closet
• The Photogramps: 10 Tips for Great Blog Photos
• Wishing for Chanel: Dynamic Denim Mary Katrantzou/Current/Elliot collab

SPONSOR: New @Shopbop: 3x1, Alas, Star Mela, Beth Richards, Flogg, Moyna, Thierry Mugler, Ulla Johnson, Friends & Associates, Star Mela, & Stella McCartney Sunglasses

Something to Celebrate

Woohoo!  I made IFB's Links a la Mode roundup again!  Thank you Independent Fashion Bloggers!  And Happy Bithday Jess!  Now I feel like it's my birthday too!

Be sure to check out all of the amazing blog posts in the list!

Birthday Gifts

Edited by: Jess of Fresh Jess

It’s my birthday today! What better way to kick this day off than seeing what’s bringing IFB wardrobes to life lately? Your latest Links a la Mode round up features style icons Stevie Nicks and First Lady Michelle Obama; Earth Day-inspired tips on being green; avant-garde accessories; trend reports; quick & easy DIY tutorials and some of the most beautiful outfit style posts around. Need some help figuring out what to wear for your next bike trip or spring business conference? We’ve got you covered there too. This week’s posts are like presents for my Google Reader. Now let’s celebrate!

Valentina, Valentino

Hello Lovelies,

Spring is in the air!  Ahh, Spring...a time for flowers, baby animals, and new fashion ad campaigns!

Has everyone seen the beautiful Spring 2012 ad campaign for Valentino?!  The elegant and feminine Spring collection by Maria Grazia  Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli was photographed by Deborah Turbeville, featuring models Bette Franke, Fei Fei Sun, Maud Welzen, Zuzanna Bijoch, and Clement Chabernaud.  The pretty campaign was shot near Turbeville's home in Mexico, although the setting's textures and colours makes me think of sunwashed stones and romantic ruins in Italy.  The exquisitely delicate and graceful designs against the unrefined backdrop, punctuated by sunlight or shade, made for an ethereal and slightly distant tableau.

I was so struck by the gorgeous Valentino images that I was inspired to create a photoshoot of my own for my sister's upcoming cello concerts this Spring and Summer.  I regularly use my lovely sister, Kathleen, as a model, and you may remember her from a previous cello photoshoot we did a while ago.  For this shoot, it was difficult to create a background that gave the feeling of a sun-drenched Rome here in Toronto, but with some assistance from my location-scout-extraordinare Mother, I think the suggestion is there :)  Kathleen didn't really have a dress she wanted to use for the shoot, so I designed and made a gown for her.  It's actually eco-friendly - I didn't have any material around that quite fit the bill for the colour/texture she was after, so I used some old curtains of hers that were lying around (and were on their way to be given away!) that were just right.  If curtains are good enough for Scarlett O'Hara or Maria von Trapp to sew into something to wear, they're good enough for me!  Anyway, I hope you enjoy the photos!!

Here is a sample of the original Valentino ad campaign:

Late Links à la Mode

Dear Readers, 

My very sincerest apologies to the Independent Fashion Bloggers - I became very ill (no joke - couldn't work for a month) shortly after I submitted my post for Links à la Mode and since I just recently started to feel better, I suddenly remembered to check!! How embarrassing! Better late than never I guess! I am so happy to have found out that I was included amongst these amazing posts! Thank you IFB and congratulations to all the other bloggers! Please read on and check out all the spooktacular links :)

GETTING SPOOKY

Edited by Taylor Davies

As style bloggers, we relish the daily task of getting dressed. It’s kind of our thing, right? Once a year though, everybody gets in on the fun – and then takes it to a whole other level. Of course I’m talking about Halloween. That crazy holiday that causes adults to act like children and children to dress up like adults. As a 20-something, Halloween can be a far cry from the trick-or-treating days of our youth – but one element will always stay with me: we get to pretend to be someone else. Instead of dressing to best express who we really are, we get to dress to appear to be someone completely different.

This week’s Links a la Mode features posts from our community about amazing Halloween costumes and inspiration, DIY projects and even a little life lesson or five from The Nanny named Fran.

THE IFB WEEKLY ROUNDUP: LINKS À LA MODE: NOVEMBER 3RD

• A Girl In Boston: The Highs And Lows Of Blogging
• Ambassador of Fashion: Heidi Klum: Halloween’s Best Dressed
• Corinne Monique: Something Wicked This Way Comes
• Cosmolawlitan: Tiffany & Co. Files Amicus Brief in Support of Louboutin’s Appeal
• Dignityzine.com: ‘Pan Am’ Fashion: Deliciously Vintage
• Dreed Tea: Israeli Fashion: An Anthropological View
• Letter Kay Style: DIY Halloween Costumes
• Lili & Mae: {Street Style} Paris, France
• Little Bow Blogs: My Halloween Look: Vampire
• Pretty Quirky Pants: DIY Lace Sheer Maxi/Mini Skirt
• Shrimp Salad Circus: DIY Halloween: My Costume
• Statements in Fashion: Hey, Who’s On My Blog?
• Style Skinny: 5 Life Lessons Learned From Nanny Fine
• Sugar & Chiffon: Glitter Nails Tutorial
• Sugar & Spice: How To Dress For Work In Winter
• The Dapper Bun: DIY Pan Am-Inspired Stewardess Hat
• The Foolish Aesthete: Hallows Eve Gothic
• The Frugalista Diaries: Update Your Old Button Down With A Hint Of Sparkle – DIY
• We Can Re-Do It: Scrap Leather Snap Cuff
• Woodstock Wardrobe: Classic Horror Film Costumes

SPONSOR:

Winterwear at Shopbop: Smythe, Add Down, Sweater Dresses, Puffer Jackets, Mackage,Mittens, Hats, Doma jackets, Scarves, Tights, Boots, Uggs, & Hunter boots.

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Boo!!!

It's almost Halloween!  Do you have your costume ready yet?!  If not, here are a few (ok, more than that) creepy couture costume ideas to get you started:

Lovely Links à la Mode

Hooray!!!  I've been included again as part of Independent Fashion Bloggers Links à la Mode Weekly Roundup!  The posts this week, as selected by Fajr of Stylish Thought, are truly a feast for the eyes and food for the soul.  I've reposted all of the links below, so be sure to check them out!  I'm so honoured to be listed alongside such talented fashion bloggers!  Thank you IFB :)

The Beauty of Bloggers

Edited by: Fajr of Stylish Thought

Once a month, I pour through the links that the amazing members of IFB submit. Typically, I sit late Wednesday night after a long day and read through the thoughtful, helpful, stylish and beautiful posts that you guys submit. It is in these moments that I am truly in awe of how talented and gracious this community is. Full of spirited bloggers that discuss everything from the latest neon trend to the body pressures of fashion blogging. We are a diverse and dynamic group, connected through our mutual love of style and tireless support and encouragement of one another.
This week’s links are a testament to the beauty of blogging. Through eloquent prose, enigmatic portraits and style lessons from a mother to her daughter, IFB is rich with love and of course great style.

Links à la Mode: June 16th

• Ashley4Emergy: Move Over Mellow Yellow
• Beautifully Invisible: 5 Things HBO’s True Blood Taught Me about Fashion & Beauty
• By Anika: Sexy is a State of Mind
• Corinne Monique: La Belle Epoque Photoshoot
• Dress with Courage: Winner Takes All: Women and Competition
• Fierce Beauty and Fashion: Thoughts from a Plus-Sized Blogger
• For Those About to Shop: Fashion Bloggers, Nick Knight and the Old Guard
• Idil Vice: New Summer Heights in the City Hurt
• Independent Fashion Bloggers: Fashion Memes: Franca and Miss Boss of Feminist Fashion Bloggers
• Inkblot Photography: Portrait Session: Kimberly Marcelle
• Love Brown Sugar: Don’t Believe the Hype
• Madeline Quaint: Illustrated Shoot: Birds of a Feather
• North on Harper: Fashion Savvy Need to Know
• Odetoawe: Cat Lover
• Oranges and Apples: Polka Dots Skirt 4 Ways
• Splendiferous Inclinations: Inexpensive Summer Outfits
• Stylish Thought: A Woman’s Right to Shoes
• The Loudmouth: Be A Better Shopper
• The Style Confession: Knock Off or Not
• Un-Stitched: Fashion Heirlooms

SPONSOR:
New Clothing at Shopbop: Feliks+Adrik, Rebecca Taylor, DL1961, Hanky Panky, Yosi Samra, Aiko, Spanx, Thayer dresses, KORS, Sara Berman, DVF.

Links à la Mode: The IFB Weekly Roundup

I have to post this quickly before I wake up and realize it's all a dream!  My last post was chosen as part of Independent Fashion Bloggers Links à la Mode this week!  Thank you so much IFB!  Please be sure to visit all of the other rounded up blogs, reposted below!  Also, consider taking Vahni's advice when visiting and commenting on blogs and "check out the blog of the person who commented above you" - such a good idea!

Making it Your Own

Edited by Vahni of Grit & Glamour

Wow...I'm a Links à la Mode editor...can you believe it?! So thrilled to have the opportunity to discover new blogs and compelling posts to share with all of you. That said, give me two minutes in the pulpit, and my "better blog" sermon starts welling up, totally involuntarily. So allow me a moment to share what I am looking for when I review submissions. It's pretty simple: Be creative and original, tie your post into beauty or fashion, use proper grammar and punctuation (spellcheck and proofread before publishing), and credit your photo sources. Always.

And on to the list...bloggers were in deep thought this week, pondering ethical fashion and feminism, male gaze and Marthettes. But in case you need to escape the heavy stuff, there is: denim! Happy reading, and as you peruse and comment on this week's posts, why stop there? For every comment you leave, why not check out the blog of the person who commented above you and comment there too? It's a great way to expand your mind—and your readership.

Links à la Mode: March 10th

• ALinetoZ: An Open Letter to High-Waisted Jeans

• Arash Mazinani: How ethical are you when it comes to fashion? A look at the hypocrisy often involved in being ethical in fashion.

• Beyond Fabric: Men's daily essentials—inside one man's bag holdall.

• Corinne Monique: Cellissimo: a music-meets-fashion photoshoot inspired by high fashion ad campaigns.

• Dress With Courage: Are you more likely to buy something if the model looks like you?

• Designed By Ann: Reading glasses are suddenly fashionable—so here are makeup tips for girls who wear glasses.

• Free Honey: On moving to wordress.org: 5 must-know tips for new bloggers.

• Fishmonkey: On The Man Repeller, the male gaze, and its role in shaping fashion choices.

• Grit & Glamour: Klout: What it is and Why it Matters

• Holier than Now: Spring's Most Beautiful Lace Looks—5 Ways for < $50
• In Her Stilettos: How to organize your jewelry while traveling—cheaply and stylishly.
• Made-to-Travel: Asos Africa—the incredible ethical makers of this gorgeous line—oh! and it's on sale!
• Melina Bee: Life and style tips inspired by Sophia Loren.
• Obsessive Coolness: On the relationship—or surprising lack thereof—between talent and success in fashion blogging.
• Oranges And Apples: Thoughts on Marthettes, blogging about 'feminine' stuff, and perfection.
• Pretty Shiny Sparkly: A chic and easy way to wear the double denim trend.
• Sidewalk Chic: Six ways to showcase accessories in outfit photos.
• Sugar and Spice: Natalie Portman is effortlessly eco-chic at an Oscars after-party—in an inexpensive dress that hits H&M next month.
• Trés Awesome: The weather may be crappy but that didn't stop people from being out and about with their bright and beautiful umbrellas.
• Try It On Me: The resurgence of the denim shirt—not just for cowboys!

SPONSOR:
Shopbop Jeans: Citizen's, Seven's, Juicy, Joe's, Hudsons, Paige, James Jeans, Vince, True Religion, J Brand, & Siwy

Cellissimo

Dear Readers,

It's a rainy night here in Toronto, and I hope it's a sign that Spring is finally on the way because one of the best things about warmer weather, for me anyway, is being able to go on an outdoor photoshoot expedition :)  It's so entertaining to come up with interesting new locations to set my designs against and just have fun with the camera.  Also, it seems much easier for me to find a good spot outdoors rather than indoors, and the pictures almost always turn out better too.

My sister, Kathleen, whom you have met before in this blog, is one of my favourite models and, lets face it, is also the most readily available model who is willing to be coaxed into doing a photoshoot ;)  She is a gorgeous girl and lovely cellist.  Last Spring, for her graduating Master of Music Cello Recital, we went forth into the brisk Spring air to take some photos, which I later used to make her recital posters, invitations, and programs from.  I was inspired by the Chanel and Dior Spring/Summer 2010 ad campaigns and used them as guides for art direction and styling ideas.

Here are the original ads.  I love the absence of bright colours.  Everything, even the black, is pale and muted, almost unnaturally so.  In the Chanel ads, the stark contrast of black and white is strangely unified, blended by the diffused light.  The Dior ads (from back in the John Galliano days, pre-ruined reputation & probable Ricardo Tisci at Dior / Haider Ackermann at Givenchy takeover, which I'm sure I will have something to say about in the near future, after the dust settles) really play up light and dark by using the blinds to create interesting shadows.  I also love the use of hard architectural structures (doorways, stairs, walls) in both ads and how they simultaneously contrast with and complement the garments, suggesting a time, place, and story.