Shades of pink...

Ashley Olsen leaving the Greenwich Hotel in NYC yesterday in a coral suit 

3.1 Phillip Lim neon pink suit during New York Fashion Week

Editor's addition:  Australian Fashion week attendee 

photos courtesy of people.com, jakandjil.com and vogue.com 

Love means...

Channeling Ali MacGraw for spring: 

Images unknown

Jealous...

Mr. West on stage at Coachella in Spring 2011 Celine.

Images courtesy of style.com 

B is for bow...

The latest installment of The Gentlewoman, profiles HRH Princess Mabel.  She married into the Dutch royal family in 2004 wearing a Viktor & Rolf duchess satin gown featuring 248 bows, gradually increasing in size, elevating her fashion game by gargantuan proportions.  This dress put bows on the brain.    

Fashion's latest "it" brand, Carven by Guilluame Henry, introduced this back-bow suede sling-back heel for Spring.   

Isabel Marant brought back the Poppy bow-embellished suede pumps for another season, this time in bright colors. 

Marni featured the double-bow for their satin peep-toe flats.  

Plus the Prada "bow clutch"!

Images courtesy of theroyalforums.com and net-a-porter.com 

Ballerinas...

Recently, I was involved in a conversation about ballet flats with a fellow fashion friend, where we were discussing which we were partial to.  Wearing my favorite Chanels, I also mentioned my new found appreciation for the Balenciaga button ballets.  She mentioned Repetto, the famous French ballet company.  Familiar with the brand, they always seemed flimsy to me.  Would they hold up to NYC streets?  Later that same day, in an interview for Jay-Z’s new site Life + Times, Garance Doré listed Repetto ballerina’s as her "go-to item of clothing".  Looks like I am going to be adding to my ballet flat repertoire.  

The quintessential Chanel cap-toe ballet flat

Balenciaga's  button ballet flat

Cult favorite, the Lanvin ballerina

The Repetto Ballerine BB

Images courtesy of travel+leisure.com, barneys.com and repetto.com

Game Changers...

Bloomberg television aired a marathon of 'Game Changers' this weekend.  Fascinating profiles of today's business and media's one's to watch - Steve Jobs, Jay-Z, Mickey Drexler, Mark Zuckerberg, Anna Wintour, and the list goes on.  Mickey Drexler spoke of J.Crew now as a private equity company, and being at the helm of fashion retail  during a "choppy economy".  Ms. Wintour did not sit down one on one with the interviewer, but former publishing director of Vogue Tom Florio, designer Vera Wang, and executive vice president of global design Patrick Robinson, spoke on her influence on fashion.  
It is an inspirational, exciting thirty minutes of television.  Watching individuals passion and drive lead them up the corporate ladder and leave their stamp on today's culture.  

April Showers...

New York City has experienced Seattle-like rains this past week.  Our dark sunglasses have been replaced by umbrellas and skyscraper heels by wellie boots.  At least there is one saving grace, the trench!  Originated for soldiers to wear during the First World War, the style became iconic thanks to Humphrey Bogart's 'Rick Blaine' in Casablanca and Peter Sellers' Inspector Clouseau.  The original design was a tan or black fabric, ten-buttoned, double breasted long coat. Today, the style comes in a myriad of colors, fabrics and lengths, some even without sleeves!  With today's updated trench styles, maybe rain isn't so bad. 

Elizabeth and James bogart twill trench

Helmut Lang collarless twill trench

Derek Lam stretch denim trench

Stella McCartney bonded cotton-poplin sleeveless trench

Junya Watanabe wool and chiffon trench

Images courtesy of net-a-porter.com

Perfect Prada...

For Fall 2007, Miuccia Prada sent models down the runway carrying what has come to be, the perfect clutch.   The 'bow clutch' came in a multitude of color-ways, and for the daring, a pair of matching color-block opera length gloves.  The brilliance of this piece comes in the engineering.  The wearer's hand slides underneath the bow,  and can slide through to the wrist - leaving both hands free! No more scrambling to balance your cocktail in one hand, clench your purse, and twirl on the dance floor.   Pure perfection, my only regret, buying just one.

Ms. P. brought this eponymous handbag back for Fall 2011.  The bow, now a buckle, but the idea remains the same.  Grazie!  I'll take one in every color.  

Images courtesy of prada.com and style.com