LA Story: The Devil Wears Prada

Prada style has been described as both classic and eccentric, frumpy but hip. That said, it’s easily identifiable, to say the least. For me, it evokes feelings of old-school sensibilities mixed with a modern day new-school twist. It’s a series of contradictions that together make sense. This morning, I threw this look together and thought, “I’m channeling Miuccia”. My garments have little in common other than a similarity of colour. The A-line skirt, thrifted, is a brocade fabric with a geometric pattern. Brocade fabric uses metallic thread and is a raised texture to make colours display their tonal range. My skirt is red white and grey but depending on how the light hits the red can look wine, the grey like blue and the white like silver. This gives me a lot of colour options with my other garment choices. I’m able to use colour range rather than worrying about an exact match. The length of the skirt hits right below my knee which is an odd length for me. It’s not a midi nor is it a mini. I pulled in my little shrunken wine coloured velvet jacket with brown elbow patches, Banana Republic. The colour is gorgeous and within tonal range of the red from my skirt.

The proportion is perfect because it hits where the skirt starts to flair so it’s in balance. The brown elbow patches made me think prep-school so I grabbed a preppy looking heather blue button down, J Crew. Just like your, heather, grey t-shirt, the blouse is a poly-cotton blend, (cotton absorbs dye and poly does not). This is important because it’s not a flat colour rather, it has tonal range to work with the grey tones of the skirt. In keeping with my, schoolgirl, theme I brought in these little grey socks, Hugh Ugoli. When styling a look like this it’s important not to be too, on the nose, or we look like we’re in costume. I went with a very open silver metallic sling-back sandal, Nine West, that works right back to the skirt and changes up the whole look. My grey leather and suede clutch bag, Vintage, is neither preppy or dressy rather it’s straight forward and substantial. This look is about contradictions coming together for an end result that’s classic and eccentric, balanced and in proportion. It’s my devilish Prada “like” spin.

style-tip: be inspired be influenced but always make it your own

LA Story: You’re the Bomb!

Bomber jackets are exploding for Fall. My Mother purchased this tweed bomber in Ireland, Donegal Handwoven, decades ago. It’s also one of the 2 tweed jackets I found hiding in a garment bag in the back of my closet. When I think of Bomber jackets my brain goes straight to leather or to the, Members Only, jackets from the 70s. This tweed version looks so much more elevated and is definitely more versatile. I love that it’s modified with a straighter less boxy cut and it has more of a dropped waist. The tweed fabric gives the silhouette a lot of structure so it can be styled more like a blazer. I can easily see it with dresses and skirts but that’s for another LA Story. My look today is very casual with jeans and a t-shirt, Hanes. For a more stylized feel, I’ve included my Dad’s red paisley flat cap, Vintage, and a big red rose pin on flower, Amazon, for an unexpected pop of colour that draws the eye’s attention to help break-up the jacket. Normally, we don’t like broken sight lines but in this case we do.

Bomber jackets are oversized by nature and can look all consuming. We remedy that with distractions and by using weightier items like lug boots, Gisele Tune, baggier garments like a boyfriend jean, Zara, and chunkier accessories like a thick gold snake chain necklace, a belt and a handbag with chunky gold hardware, Vintage Gucci. No matter the style of bomber jacket that you already own or intend to purchase, with these tips and tricks you’re guaranteed to be The Bomb!

*please treat your wardrobe well. many people worked very hard to get it to you