Fashion Weeks Pt. 3: Last Train to Paris

It feels like an eternity since I posted my last blog entry. Actually, in the blogoshere matrix 6 weeks without writing a word is an eternity.

The most interesting of menial things that have transpired over the past month and a half have been that I got a promotion at work, I went to Toronto's Fashion Week and I feng shui'd my room. ( I don't think I spelled that correctly.)

I debated that after such a long hiatus, should I even bother write about TFW. I mean really, at this point it's such old news. But you know what? Who da heck cares?! Fashion's "old news" was a new and fascinating experience for me and I'ma give my two cents on TFW before the year is through.

But first, the "Fyne n' Fabulous Fashion Train" has got to make it's last stop in Paris before taking a first-class plane ride back to the T-dot.

Here's my top 10 faves from Paris' Ready-toWear Spring 2012 Fashion Week:

10. Paco Rabanne.

Paris Fashion Week: Spring RTW 2012
Designer Label: Paco Rabanne

9. Chalayan.

Paris Fashion Week: Spring RTW 2012
Designer Label: Chalayan

8. Loewe.

Paris Fashion Week: Spring RTW 2012
Designer Label: Loewe

7. Paco Rabanne.

Paris Fashion Week: Spring RTW 2012
Designer Label: Paco Rabanne

6. Paul & Joe.

Paris Fashion Week: Spring RTW 2012
Designer Label: Paul & Joe

5. Mugler.

Paris Fashion Week: Spring RTW 2012
Designer Label: Mugler

4. Givenchy.

Paris Fashion Week: Spring RTW 2012
Designer Label: Givenchy

3. Emanuel Ungaro.

Paris Fashion Week: Spring RTW 2012
Designer Label: Emanuel Ungaro

2. Elie Saab.

Paris Fashion Week: Spring RTW 2012
Designer Label: Elie Saab

1. Elie Saab.

Paris Fashion Week: Spring RTW 2012
Designer Label: Elie Saab

Elie Saab nabbed the number one and two spots on my top 10 list. This was by far my overall favourite collection. Bold, sexy, feminine, daring.... just like me! lol

On a different note, can you believe Christmas is only 3 weeks away?!

Fashion Weeks Pt. 2: New York, London, Milan

Over the past few weeks, putting together all the various trends from the multitude of fashion collections kind of reminds me of making an ice cream sundae.  In Fashion Week Part One, I offered "31 flavours" to choose from. 

Now in part two, I'm providing the toppings to make the sundae complete.  For a complete, visual presentation, it's time to garnish the delightful and delicious ready-to-wear fashions from part one with accessories!

I am drooling over the handbags an clutches that accompanied the walking mannequins down the catwalk.


Fashion Weeks: New York, London, Milan
"Swag Bag"

Zoom Zone: "Swag Bag"

 There were a lot of platform loafers (too ugly in my opinion to be shown here), as well as some bright colourful ones. Ankles are the center of attention with all sorts of straps, buckles and other nouveaux embellishments.  Personally, I find straps and such around my ankles a bit restrictive but I really like Burberry's beaded anklets.

Fashion Weeks: New York, London, Milan
" Strapped"

Zoom Zone: "Strapped"

Belts had a contemporary yet classic feel, offering clean lines and offbeat designs.


Fashion Weeks: New York, London, Milan
"Waist Management"

Zoom Zone: "Waist Management"

Clothes are accessorized with statement jewellery pieces that are oversized and opulent.

Fashion Weeks: New York, London, Milan
"Treasure Chest"

Zoom Zone: "Treasure Chest"

Plastic frames and coloured lenses made up the body of round, cat-eye and brow flat-line sunglasses.



Fashion Weeks: New York, London, Milan
"Throw Some Shade"

Zoom Zone: "Throw Some Shade"

More fashion, more fun!

Fashion Weeks Pt. 1: New York, London, Milan

During September, as the female masses were being fed fashion trends for Fall 2011, fashion's elite gathered from week to week in the city's of New York, London, Milan and Paris as designers showcased their ready-to-wear spring/summer fashion collections for 2012.

Since the commencement of New York Fashion Week, I visited style.com and Elle Magazine UK to see the highlights and pictures from the runway shows of each day.  It the idea for me to save and collect photos of outfits and accessories I liked, then go through them to see if I could identify potential trends for the upcoming spring.  I avoided reading the runway wrap-ups by the Tim Blanks' and other gurus of the fashion world as not to be influenced by their expert observations.

I will preface the the fashion collage previews below by reiterating I make no claims of being a fashionista. I'm no Jeanne Beker.  I may not know names of fabric, or how to pronounce some of the names of the designers listed, but I do know I love fashion and accessories for their beauty, creativity, and expressiveness.

You will also notice there are no photos from collections presented at Paris Fashion Week for reasons too long to explain here, but I will likely post some "Anke Fyne & Fab Favourites" in the upcoming weeks.

There was colour...

Fashion Weeks: New York, London, Milan
"Mademoiselles de Moutard"

and colour...

Fashion Weeks: New York, London, Milan
"Citrusy & Soft"

...and more colour!  I love the boldness and vibrancy of the ruby reds and lapis lazuli blues.

Fashion Weeks: New York, London, Milan
"Semi-Precious Gems"

White was prevalent in many of the collections, especially in sophisticated two-piece suits.  Tailored pant were cropped just at the base of the calf, allowing full view of ankle strapped shoes, a signature trend for spring 2012. Wide leg trousers were elegant and ground grazing.

Fashion Weeks: New York, London, Milan
"White Delight"

I really liked some of the high-waited mid-drift baring top and bottoms. I'm not in my 20's and I haven't worn a size 0 since grade 3. To me, showing my belly button in a public place other than the beach is equivalent to seeing an 80 year old at a nudist beach; so I must say I like how some of the designers maintained youthfulness in their pret-a-porter ensembles by offering a sneak peak of the upper abdominals while keeping it classy with skirts lengths due south of the knee. 

Fashion Weeks: New York, London, Milan
"Tummy Tuck"

Being rich and famous sure has its perks.  Unlike us common folk, they get first dibs on the "what's next" in fashion. Why wait when you can wear it now? Gwyneth Paltrow rocked the red carpet at the 2011 Emmy Awards in the Pucci dress pictured above (bottom, far right), which debuted at Milan's Spring 2012 fashion week.


Gwyneth Paltrow at 2011 Emmy Awards in Emilio Pucci

The Pucci number Gwyneth wore that night also embodied another upcoming trend of see-through silhouettes.

Fashion Weeks: New York, London, Milan
"Peek-a-boo, I See Through"

Fabrics were soft and sheer, flowing with and away from the body.

Fashion Weeks: New York, London, Milan
"Let it Flow"

If your not careful, you could definitely pull a "Britney" in one of these thigh high slitted garments.

Fashion Week: New York, London, Milan
"The Mile High Club"

 Outerwear had structure, clean lines, iridescent sheen and various prints.  Multi-functional coat dresses. I personally have a thing for hoodie coats (first pic, second row).  Perhaps there wasn't enought of them on the runways to establish them as a spring trend, but I like the style too much to care.

Fashion Weeks: New York, London, Milan
"Cover Me"

Fringes of all different lengths, embellished frocks from neckline to hemline.

Fashion Weeks: New York, London, Milan
"On the Fringe"

Stay tuned for more on handbags, shoes and other accessories!

Frugal & Fabulous: My Costa X Experience

It's 3:33pm on a sunny, Saturday afternoon, and so far I have had a delightful day.  It started with an early morning meditation, followed by a trip to the gym with a habitual detour to Timmies for a medium coffee two creams one sugar and a shot of butter caramel (also great in iced caps btw), and a trial of the new maple cinammon french toast bagel, toasted, half butter and double cheddar (absolutely delicious).

After an hour at the gym, I was supposed to simply go back home for a day of couch potatoe delight. However, I decided to make yet another detour, this time to the local mall.  It's my niece's birthday tomorrow.  She's turning five.  Even though I had decided on taking her to get her first mani-pedi, I thought I might check out a few stores to see if there was anything worth buying. There certainly was...just not for my niece.

On my way to Siblings I was passing by Costa X which had bright yellow signs around the entrance reading: "Store Closing. Everything Must Go. 50% off everything"! As fate would have it, the thought of purchasing some new flat shoes for work had been a topic of discussion in my mental "Situation Room" earlier this week. The gold ballerina flats I'm currently wearing from Aldo are decrepit-looking and disintegrating rapidly. The glue has broken up with its sole-mate. I knew I was in need of a new pair but had no desire to pay fall season prices.

The sale was timely.  For under $75 (this includes HST) I bought a handbag, two ballerina flats, a scarf, and ear muffs (which I will wear under my snood when once the Canuck winter hits full force).

Store Closing Sale at Costa X
Clockwise from left: Black furry earmuffs, faux leather
side satchel, leopard print scarf, midnight blue/black
snake print flats, leopard print flats with bow detailing

Today was not my lucky day.  Today was a moment of alignment.

Putting the "V" in VMA

Last night I was one of the millions of viewers who tuned in to watch the 2011 VMA's. I was left dazed and confused at the overextended monologue by Lady Gaga's alter ego, Jo Calderone. (Kudos to the make-up artist who did a fantastic job with the visual transformation.) 

Far removed from the "monster mania", I grew impatient with the opening act as I awaited a performance from Momma Monster and changed the channel only to miss her tumble off the beer drenched piano. (I got to watch the performance on Youtube less than 15 minutes later).  No matter what anyone has to say about her antics, Lady Gaga is an amazing singer, musician and performer.

News of Beyoncé announcing she was expecting on the VMA black carpet blew up the entertainment blogs and had everyone buzzing.  Pre-show photos were later confirmed after her "Love on Top" performance when she dropped the mic, opened her sequin studded blazer and massaged a very-present baby bump.  She was glowing!  Her elation was infectious as her auric field radiated throughout the Nokia Theare and permeated television screens around the world.

She wore a gorgeous bright orange, one-shouldered Lanvin Fall 2011 gown accented with emerald and diamond accessories.  Aside from the bright hue, it was a far cry from her usual body hugging, skin baring outfits like the mini-dress she wore at a prior VMA show.

Beyoncé and Baby Bump in Lanvin at the 2011 VMAs

Beyoncé in Roberto Cavali at the 2009 VMAs

"Mommy-to-Bey" is definitely a trendsetter.  Boob-bearing frocks were all the rage last night, a look Beyoncé donned at the 2009 MTV VMAs.

Sone of the "Deep-V" vixens included Kelly Rowland (former Destiny's Child sidekick and Beyoncé's bff) and reality TV's T&A star Kim Kardashian.

"Boob nV"

I generally prefer to conceal the twins but after seeing these hot plunging necklines, I am considering adding a peak-a-boo piece to my closet.

Très Chaud!

All That Glitters...

Last week Sunday evening, around the same time I am writing this post, my parents were just settling in after taking a weekend getaway across the border.  My mom was being treated to a weekend of bliss courtesy of my father. Dinner, shopping spree, penthouse suite... After 50 years of marriage my parents still got it!

Before they had left, I issued my mother one request: buy me a cute maxi dress. Upon their return, I got way more than I asked for.  I didn't get just one maxi dress, but two! The first was the dressier of the two, country-chic, purple, white and blue paisly print with black mesh detailing. The second, a tye-dye water colour dress that gradually shifted colours from light pink to indigo, top to bottom.

As my mother shared the deets of the elimination process that lead to the final picks, I found out there was a runner-up that was a strong contender but never made the cut.  The ungrateful, green-eyed monster came out of me and I asked why didn't Daddy get it for me? That's when I found out I was in for one more surprise...

Daddy's Pick: Rhinestone Encrusted Peep-Toes

These shoes caught my dad's eye (surprise, surprise) and instantly he knew they were so "me" (surprise surprise).  As I unwrapped the shoes out of the tissue paper, unable to speak, I started cackling louder than a wild hyena.  I was in utter shock! This marked the first time ever in life my dad bought a fashion item for me, without me being there.  In that moment I was so proud of him, I almost shed a tear.  They were the perfect style and the perfect size (luckily my mother and I wear the same shoe size).

I will always and forever be "Daddy's little girl". Elephant shoe (I love you) Daddy!

Gleam! Gold & Green.

One of the things I enjoy doing for some "me time", is choosing a day out of the weekend to spend a few reclusive hours at Chapters.  I usually start by indulging myself with a Strawberry Vivanno Smoothie with whipped cream and a Marshmallow Dream Bar from the Starbucks Cafe. (Whoever came up with that name for a Rice Krispies square is a genius! So luxurious sounding, especially when said with a Bri-ish accent. Try it!)

I wander through the aisles, somewhat aimlessly until something catches my eye. I am quite fascinated yet fearful of the business and finance section, with all of the 600 page hard covers and books "...For Dummies".

My main stop, however, is the Magazines section, pulling as many beauty and fashion magazines as my arms can hold.  Elle, In Style, Vogue, Flare, W, Dazed, Zink, LouLou, Essence, Glamour, and the list goes on. Then I scout the floor a place to sit; which on weekends is hard to find.  I usually end up sitting on a plastic mini seat in the kiddie area or I find an obscure corner and plop my self cross-legged on the floor.

Anywho, as I make a short story long, I went to Chapters Sunday past.  One of the Autumn trends that got me uber excited is the green and gold combination. (Warm, yellow-based tones look great with my complexion!)

Saw these Gucci heels (from the 2011 Fall collection) plastered all over the internet and fashion magazines aournd the end of May, June sometime.  I love the python texture detailing for the ankle strap (python print is another hot trend for fall).

Green Suede & Gold Heels: Gucci


I have a pair of gold and green gemmed sandals that I got to rock this summer.  The first time I wore them, my legs shaked if I stood in one place to long.  I think the sole-to-heel angle is kinda steep with no arch support; but I'm good now.

Green-Jeweled & Gold Strapped Heels: B2

Here are a few more green and gold accessories for your viewing pleasure:

Green Suede & Gold Bracelet: Lily & Lionel

Green Sapphire Wrap Ring: Yvel





Crocodile Emerald & Gold Handbag with a Gold Cuff Wrist Lockit: Louis Vuitton

This photo is absolutely gorge!  It's apart of the Overboard editorial spread in Elle Mag's August issue:

Damask Tunic: Oscar de la Renta

I am"falling" in love with these fall trends, indeed.


P.S Happy Birthday Mummy! Muah!

Colour Clash Control

Do you remember when it was a fashion faux pas to wear pink and red together? Not anymore!

Wearing black and brown together was once snubbed by stodgy fashion bourgeoisie until some fashion-forward provocateur created leopard print couture. Who said you can't wear white after labour day?  Bend the rules and don 'winter white' in November.  Fashion rules have slackened and women everywhere can be free from the noose that once choked their individual style.

No longer commiting a fashion heresy, I wore a geometric patterned red, pink and white chiffon dress with ruffles to the LuvLi Ladies' Show along with self-made accessries.


AnKe Accessories

 I strung a red diamond-shaped pendant dappled with pink flecks with multi-shaped, translucent beads of the same colours to create this cleavage concealing necklace.  To avoid being to matchy-matchy I went with freshwater pearls of different sizes for shoulder grazing drop earrings.

AnKe Accessories: A closer look

Between the red/pink dress and the red/pink accessories, I knew my outfit was on colour overload. In my mind I likened my outfit to spicy food.  A bit of caliente is good, but too much becomes unpalatable. Onlookers shouldn't have their eyes water when I walk by them.

Dress: H&M
Belt: Dynamite

I needed some "yogurt" to simmer the spiciness of my colourful ensemble; so I added a beige wrap belt around my waist, interweaving the red chiffon sash that came with the dress into it- just for the sake of making things interesting. To top things off, I wore my beige patent leather Guess peep toe platforms along with a medium size clutch. (see Khemet Chronicles)

Yes, I've worn these items multiple times over. No, I don't have a problem with being "caught" wearing the same thing twice.  Yeah...that's right. And what?

Fashion Hearts Pink at the LuvLi Ladies' Show

Yesterday I attended the LuvLi Ladies' Show at the Gladstone Hotel, where my childhood friend planned and hosted her first event and launched her own women's lifestyle magazine.


"AnKe" and Lisa Sterling at the LuvLi Ladies Show

 

The Premier Issue of LuvLi Magazine

Your girl, Miss Fyne & Fab chick herself wrote the "I'm a Survivor" article, which is about Leila Springer, a 12 year cancer survivor and the president of The Olive Branch of Hope Breast Cancer Support Services and the World Foundation on Breast Cancer, two non-profit organizations in Ontario.

I was also the centerfold model and writer of "Turn Over A New Leaf", an article about fashion accessories trends for the fall season.
 

Centerfold Model: LuvLi Ladies' Magazine



My Personal Favourite

I was not impressed when I saw that there was a grammatical error in the "Metal Mayhem" section thanks to an editor doing a less than "luvli" job editing my work.  My original work did NOT have that error (yes, I checked).  Someone should have edited the editor! Argh! That makes me look bad because my name is attached to the article. Sooooo unimpressed. (insert screw face here)

On a brighter note I, too, had a major "first" yesterday.  Remember the bowl of pearls from the Beadazzled for Breast Cancer post? I transformed them into what I call the Fashion Hearts Pink collection, designed to raise awareness and support women diagnosed with breast and gynecological cancers.

Fashion Hearts Pink



Last year this time I never even entertained the thought that I would be making my own jewellery, and making it to support a cause greater than myself.  As numerology would have it, this is truly my Year of Expansion!