Alexander McQueen Fall 2012 Ready To Wear (Paris)

I love Alexander McQueen.  Sometimes the designs get a little out there, but Sarah Burton is truly one of the most creative designers on the market.  Even royalty loves her, Kate wore her dress when she married Prince William.  Anyway, this new collection is really cool, even though I usually am not a fan of fur.  It had a very futuristic vibe with the glasses (at least I think they're glasses, I don't know how you would see through them).  Overall, a total A+.

This was probably my favorite outfit in the collection, mostly because it was simple (or, at least the simplest), but it still had a futuristic vibe.

Okay, the outfit directly above was one of the few ones that made me want to gag.  Personally, I think it looks like a dirty mop (or perhaps a dead wolf).  Regardless, I just don't get it, nor do I think that any reasonable person would wear it.

This one was beautiful.  I especially love the fabric, somehow it reminds me of an ice queen.  Also, the semi-transparent fabric helps to tone down the extreme shapes, leading to an overall well balanced look.

This ones similar, but I had to mention the amazing hidden pockets.

It's a flower petal!!!! This was the other outfit I didn't really understand.  Sure, it's new and fresh, but I'll take smaller shoulders (and ones that weren't made of tissues) any day. 

Hands down, this was my favorite dress in the entire collection.  The red is so vibrant, the silhouette so creative yet strangely familiar, and then we get to the damn darn fabric.  I had a mini fashion heart attack when I saw it.  In the previous post I talked about my fear of feathers, but this dress left that fear in the dust.  Should I ever find a fairy godmother to turn me into Cinderella for one night, this would be the dress I'd ask for.

Okay, so I raved about the red, and it's not really the texture of this fabric that I mind.  Somehow, though, the color and the silhouette mixed together make me think of a duster.  Still, I sort of have this weird crush on the dress.  Must be those silver blindfolds.
Overall, mixed reviews, although I do truly believe that the collection was incredible.  Alexander Wang continues to push the envelope, and I can't wait (no seriously, I'm going to pee my pants with anticipation) for next season.
Kisses,
Anonymous

The Hunger Games, Unicorns and Other Random Stuff I Want to Talk About

Yeah, so it's kinda a weird title, but I (unfortunately) haven't been on in a while and I have about a billion ideas spinning in my head.  So, here it goes, sorted into categories for your viewing pleasure.
The Hunger Games
True, I've already posted about this AMAZING series, but since it just premiered yesterday, I figure I should do a little follow up.  Not to mention, I decked out my nails in Hunger Games style (don't laugh, I thought it was pretty cool).

They're kind of hard to read here, but they say, "I HEART THE GAMES."  And I do.  I was kind of surprised when I first read the series, since it seems more like a topic that would appeal to adults.  However, the novels have successful bridged the gaps that often separate the reading market (genders, age), making for a bestseller and box office superpower.  I'm planning to see the movie tonight, so I'll tell you about it later.
Unicorns (And Fairies And Other Magical Creatures)
 So, the point of this part is should people dress like they're five.  The common answer in the fashion world would be no way, but I think from an editorial standpoint it might be okay.  Take these collections (pictures courtesy of style.com)
Giles

All of these dresses had an air of the otherworldly, but my personal favorite is the last one.  If you look closely, the tapestry is covered with unicorns and other imaginary beasts.  Adorable right?
Wunderkind

This Wunderkind collection is really cool and has a sense of being a little girl again.  It was covered with cherries and checkers, and while usually I wouldn't condone this combination, I think that it worked beautifully.
Sinha-Stanic

I definitely think this collection was interesting, if not slightly confused.  It was filled with feathers and sheer, a got a little bit wild, but these two outfits were for me the standouts.  Usually people shy away from feathers (me included), but with the right accessories, these dresses just might work. 

Start of Spring Purple Manicures

Okay, sorry for the lack of posts in the past week, I've just been crazy busy.  One thing I am sorry not to have posted about, though, is the Oscar's.  I won my family's Oscar pool (I only missed three categories), and I think it would have been really fun to post some predictions/Oscar dress opinions for you guys.  Anyway, that's over and done with, but I promise to try and make those posts next year.

Today, I want to talk about nails.  I love to paint my nails at home, and since I chip my manicures/pedicures far too quickly to make salon versions practical, I've had a ton of time to practice.  Lately I've become obsessed with putting sparkles on top of otherwise refined colors to give them a new flair.  The nails above were my salute to the start of spring, the color just reminds me of lush lavender fields and Easter eggs.  The camera didn't pick up on it very well, but there are silver sparkles on top, and the extra layer actually kept them pristine for a while.   (The Color To Watch by O.P.I. with Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Sparkles on top)

Yes, these nails really are purple.  It's one of the things that I like about the color, it has more than one dimension.  It's probably the darkest purple in my vast collection, and for a long time I refused to wear it (I have a fear of black nail polish).  Eventually, though, I gave it a try and fell in love.  I paired it with the same Sally Hansen top coat as in the nails above, but in this mani it gave off a certain grey, disco-ball effect instead of fairy shimmer.  Both types of sparkle are equally appealing in my opinion.  (Give Me Moor! by O.P.I. with Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Sparkle Polish)
Kisses,
Anonymous

Banana Republic

I took these pictures after a particularly successful shopping trip, but I never got the chance to post them.  The following were my best finds via Banana Republic.  I SERIOUSLY love that store, especially since it has office wear, casual clothing and formal dresses (not to mention killer accessories).  Okay, so maybe it's not haute couture, but give a girl a break. The clothes are adorable and well made, so enjoy!!!!

I also bought two tanks that had little gold embellishments, but I didn't have any good pictures of them. 
Later,
Anonymous

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is, needless to say, taking the world by storm.  The first movie in the series hits theaters on March 23, but already crazy (and adorable) fan souvenirs are hitting the market.  I am a personal fan of the series and hopefully a midnight camp out for a late night show is in the future (more about that later if it happens).  Anyway, here are some of my favorite Hunger Games paraphernalia. 

This bracelet I found on Etsy has already sold, but tons more like it are on the market right now.  I love them because they don't necessarily read Hunger Games on first glance, but they are no doubt for die-hard fans.

This Mockingjay pin I found on amazon.com.  This is probably one of the more popular movie prop recreations, but I do actually think that they are cute (if you were the type who wore pins, which I'm not).  On a blazer, they might even pass as fashion couture.

Yes, there is a cookbook.  It's available at Barnes and Noble and features recipes like Lamb Stew and Apple Dumplings.  Yummy!
There are, of course, tons more do-dads, including Team Peeta versus Team Gale T-shirts, but these are the best in my opinion.  Taylor Swift just released her new song for the soundtrack, Safe and Sound, featuring The Civil Wars, which I just love as well.  One thing is definitely for sure, this series is not going away any time soon. 
Kisses,
Anonymous
P.S. "And may the odds be ever in your favor."

The Fault in Our Stars (And Other Things That Sort of Have to Do With It)

Okay, so maybe this isn't a blog that is about literature, but bear with me, I do have a point.  Just now I finished reading The Fault in Our Stars by the glorious John Green and I do believe that I will never look at the world the same way.  Call me corny or cliched, but it is the truth.  Thank God that no one in my family has ever had cancer, but that does not mean that I have never met anyone with the disease. What has always amazed me about cancer survivors as well as those still living with the illness is that they never talk about it.  I know that this is just the sort of stereotype that this particular novel is trying to get rid of (the courageous sick person), but the fact that people with cancer just want to be treated like everyone else can not be denied.  They're brave, but they're also ordinary people who have simply come to the realization that dwelling over the wrongs life has given you will never make them better. 
On the fashion side of all this, I started thinking about death, and therefore black.  However, Cinco de Mayo, the Mexican Day of the Dead also came to mind.  This particular celebration is always full of color and vibrancy, something that celebrates the journey out of this world.   So, I gave myself a little challenge.  Could I find a garment (or two more than that) that could marry color and death in one harmonious piece of clothing? I did, and these are what I came up with, both literal and not so much.(pictures from polyvore.com)
Literal

I decided that all of the literal things didn't need explanations, they're basically just skulls and skeletons.
Definitely Not Literal

So this one was chosen based on the idea that the dress was here, but then it disappeared (died).  You know, because it's really short and made of lace.  Okay, so maybe you don't know, but I do, so deal with it.

This is blood pouring out of the blackness which is death (I still can't believe I typed that sentence). 

Yeah, I don't even know how to explain this one.(You know what, I need to stop making apologies, this concept is dumb genius!)

This one was sort of literal because it was supposed to resemble a ghost.  I also think that if you look really closely there are some skulls on there too. 
So that is all, and if you are switching away from this post endlessly confused, I hope that there is at least one thing that you can take away from these ramblings, and that is it is not the death I fear, it is the end of the life.
Kisses,
Anonymous

The Perfect Spring Dresses (And Skirts) for the Season to Come

Polyvore has such a wide selection that it's so easy to get sucked in.  Lately, spring dresses have been taking my fancy, perhaps because after months of layers, chic, simple dresses and skirts are becoming all the more appealing. Obviously, these selections do not eve scratch the surface in regards to the quantities of awesomeness over at what is becoming my favorite site.  However, they do have me salivating for more.

There's nothing like hummingbirds to remind you of spring (except maybe flowers) and this skirt by Jil Sander is no exception.

I just love the emerald hue of this dress, not to mention that the pattern is to die for.  Even though I've never seen it in person, I know from experience that this type of dress (with the belted waist and attention grabbers at just the right places) would flatter almost any woman.

 This military inspired skirt would usually be classified as more winter-y.  Imagine it, though, with a cute striped tee and sandals.  It's effortless yet put together, and while some may argue that particular vibe would be more summer, I think that it perfectly suits spring.

This Valentino dress is one of my favorites in this batch, simply because the flowers appear to be falling (or blossoming) from the blackness down to the white.  Could anything better say winter to summer? (Okay, so that was a little bit of a creative description, but come on, it's adorable). 

When I first started looking at skirts, I was thinking that a tulle turquoise garment would be ideal.  However, sometimes the more geometric, covered options work just as well.  The color alone is really attention grabbing, so all accessories should be understated.  I love the bow at the top, so I would just tuck in a white tee, to show it off.

Once again, this dress may be a little bit summery for the fog that usually rolls in during these next few months, however, I see absolutely nothing wrong with going bright even if it is only February (and we, unfortunately, have five more weeks of winter).

This Marc Jacobs dress is absolutely lovely.  I think that there is some weird idea that black is for colder months, but I stand here to prove that wrong.  The flowers and flow-y quality couldn't be more reminiscent of spring.  Besides, who wears strapless in the snow?

This one is yet another Valentino garment that grabbed my attention.  Usually, 3-D embellishments like this don't appear in high fashion, but this particular skirt adds a whimsical vibe to a very proper color of skirt (not that I don't love purple, I LOVE purple).
So that is all, my favorite spring finds (so far).  I hope you've gotten some new outfit ideas, or at least inspiration for your next purchases.
Kisses,
Anonymous