The Silver Lining

If the runway shows of Spring 07 taught us anything, it was that the future is here, and it is here to stay. Nicolas Ghesquière had the Balenciaga models in pieces suitable for the Jetson family. Gucci and Stella McCartney also provided their touch of futurama to Spring with their space age goggles and silver dresses.

This evidently has trickled down to the retail world and the results were unanimous: silver, silver and oh…did I mention silver?

From ballerina flats at H&M, bangles at Le Chateau, big bags at Aldo and what’s this: leggings at American Apparel (??)…silver was and still continues to be everywhere. We are completely inundated with this non color.

For some of us (i.e. Trekkies, astronauts and strippers) it is business as usual.

But for us regular gals, this trend can leave us scratching our heads and wrinkling our noses.

If not done correctly, we could run the risk of looking like a roll of aluminum foil or a slightly overdone Christmas tree.

So, like anything else in fashion, apply this trend in moderation. If you follow these simple rules, you will outshine them all (not sure who them all is but whatever).

1) Go the accessory route if silver leggings (top right) scare you. A sandal, bag or necklace says enough.

2) Stick to only one accessory at a time to avoid sensory overload ( steer clear of the knee high silver boots along with the matching silver scarf)

3) For a touch of silver on a garment, go with a top that has some lurex or a silver-ish feel

4) Wear your silver with a simple outfit. The silver should be the center of attention (not your plaid pants, fur coat or Cosby style sweater).

5) If you must wear the silver leggings, then fine, do it but may I suggest you wear black leggings over them?

BOOK THIS LOOK- Mischa Barton

Book This Look At:

Blouse

Smart Set

$30.00

White Pants

Urban Behavior

$39.80

Keds

Globo

$39.99

Jellies!

When I was about 12 years old, I bought this pair of Guess Jelly shoes (you know, the clear ones). Even at a young age, I was trying to be practical with my purchases. Because the jelly shoes were clear, they matched with everything...how fantastic!

Well I guess Mr. Marc Jacobs was reminiscing on the past (i.e. 1993) when he came up with his jellies (see top left).

And now Aldo has also introduced this blast from the past.

The sandals are cute if you want to pull off that kitschy, I am not trying too hard, I don’t have time for real shoes, I live on the outskirts of London, only listen to underground jazz and match my skinny jeans with fedoras and 7 eleven t-shirts.


If you fit the bill, get your jellies at:
Aldo for $9.95- $19.99
ShopBop.com for some Marc Jacobs Jellies at $50.00

BOOK THIS LOOK- Sarah Jessica Parker

Book This Look At:

Blazer

RW & Co.

$78.00

Tank
Le Garage
$14.00

Necklace
Lydia Lukidis Jewellery

Pumps
Transit
$49.99

Stretch Denim Capri
Smart Set
$40.00

What's Your Look?

Hello people who love bargain price fashion,

While I go about my daily routine of booking the looks of such trendistas as Cameron, Kate and Rachel, I can't help but think that readers must also have great looks up their sleeve and that maybe, just maybe, they wish to share it with others.

I am sure that on a few occasions, you thought you looked so good, you wished someone would book your look, non?

Well, the wait is over my friends. If you have a kick a$$ outfit that you think looks amazing and you wish to share it with the rest of us, send it over (along with your first name, age and where you are from) to thelookbook@gmail.com. Be sure to indicate where you got the items, their cost and (if desired) any quirky/ fun/ interesting fashion advice you wish to dispense.

I look forward to booking your looks! :)

BOOK THIS LOOK- Cameron Diaz

I do believe that overalls are slowly making their appearance in the fashion world. Applauded for its comfort factor and it denim-ness (it matches with everything), it is no surprise that Cameron is rocking this look. Notice how she has paired it with a simple white t-shirt and metallic accessories to keep the look fresh.

Book This Look At:

Overalls

Costa Blanca $25.50

La Maison Simons $48.00

White T-Shirt

Smart Set $9.99

Gold Peep Toes

Aldo $80.00

Bangles

Le Chateau $9.95-$20.00

BOOK THIS LOOK- Kate Winslet

Little Black Dress
Smart Set

Purse
Aldo

Flats
Browns Shoes

The only issue I can see with this outfit is the purse. I love the color but try finding your house keys when you really have to use the bathroom. Or try looking for your itty bitty wallet when it is time top pay at the cash register and there are about 10 irate people behind you, waiting impatiently. It drives me insane, which is why I choose to avoid purses the size of Panama. But the look is fetching. And it works if you are a stress free person. Enjoy!

Camileon Heels

Camileon Heels...hum...

I don't know about you all but I hate walking long distances in heels. Working in the fashion business, people expect you to look at least a tad decent. What I, like many others, do is walk to work in our flats and change into one of the 10 pairs of heels hidden under our desks.

Apparently this is no longer an issue.

Through fate and noticing the ever present struggle women have with walking long distances in heels, Donna and Dr. David Handel have come up with the Camileon Heel. Basically, the heels can be adjusted (as per the video) to a 1 1/2" oh look at me walk 20 block in the city without a wince heel to a 3 1/4" don't I look hot a confident heel. Not too shabby...

Besides the comfort when you walk factor, there are a few other advantages.

You save money as you buy less shoes -euh, am I actually trying to convince myself that I will buy less shoes...My, my isn't it easy to lie to oneself?

Another great aspect is not having to worry about different shoes for different pairs of pants. Come on now, who's with me: how many of us out there have to think through which pants we are wearing with which heels? I hate wearing my "long" pants with my flats and hear the fabric drag through the streets-ugh. Or even worse, wear my "short" pants with my heels and all of a sudden, people can see the start of my ankles: not cool. So this gadget solves that problem.

The only catch, and there is always one: the frikin cost. This is totally not a Book This Look shoe. At a whopping $305.00USD for the Camelia, you may as well by yourself 2 pairs of Aldo's. However the brand does boast extreme comfort. Really, the decision is up to you, I just thought this concept is a *smack your forehead with your hand* "why didn't I think of that?" kind of idea. You can get your Camileon Heel at Zappos.com or check their website for US locations.

BOOK THIS LOOK- Cameron Diaz- SPECIAL EDITION

So here we have our lovely fashion icon: Ms. Cameron Diaz. Notice that she wears the same pair of shoes on more than one occasion (gasp!) even if she is handed new designers duds on a daily basis. Cameron is practical and knows that being stylish has a lot to do with keeping a simple style (not trying too hard) and matching said outfit with outstanding accessories.

In this Special Edition of Book This Look, not 1 but 2 outfits are presented.

The star of them both: a fahhhbulous pair of leopard print peep toe pumps (very May 2007). Match that with the other articles mentioned (chances are you own them all in some version already-but I still provided pics and locations of where they can be found cuz I am cool like that) and voila! Outfits deemed appropriate to diva it out with the best of them.

Not to sound too much like a tacky 90's chick flick but: "You go girl!"

For Night:



And Day:

If only the outfits came along with a Justin look alike. *sigh*

Tunic or not Tunic: That is the Question.

There is a huge buzz amongst the powers that be in Fashionland in terms of the new shapes we have been seeing. It is now being referred to as “big over slim” which, in normal people talk, is a loose fitting top over slim pants or leggings. This is the look, this is what we must aspire to if we wanted to be coined the term trendy (doesn’t everyone want to be trendy? ;)

We are not cool this spring if we are not wearing a potato sack and some peep toes.

The potato sack I am referring to is the tunic. It can be referred to as a loose fitting top that is longer than your average t-shirt (hitting almost mid thigh).

On the one hand, this means that everybody (whether you are a size 2 or a size 12) will look like a size 12.

On the other hand, my mom keeps asking me if there is anything she needs to know about my current situation (i.e.: should she be planning a baby shower for her very unwed daughter).

I am enjoying the tunics because it puts less emphasis on my thigh/hip area. And how grateful are we to be wearing a babydoll dress and elastic waistband leggings after a huge meal: oh yes, we can let it all hang out.

I say go with it. Everyone will look bigger than they really are. This trend may not last for long so why not live it up! I mean, how happy are we that it’s not baby tees gracing the covers of Lucky and Bazaar?

A Word of Caution: I don’t know about you all but when my clothes are not constricting, when everything feels loose on me, my brain goes a little something like this: “Oh, you must be smaller, you lost weight, why don't we go celebrate with some ribs and fries?”.

Bad times it will be come bathing suit season (i.e.: 2 Canadian weeks away) when we all cry in unison at our bulging love handles.

So in a nutshell, live it up with this trend but that does not mean all you can eat poutine. It just means you won’t have to suck in your tummy when you walk down the halls at work.

Get Your Tunic at:

BOOK THIS LOOK- Helena Christensen

Ok so Helena has mixed the brown bag and gold/black flats with this dress. Seeing as she is an ex supermodel, she must have some say in what works and what doesn't right? Not so much... I would not have gone with the brown, black and gold color to acessorize the dress. I think that red would be the key accent color with this look. Peep toes anyone?


I have taken the liberty, dearest reader, to provide you with a slight plethora of alternative options for your enjoyment:

BOOK THIS LOOK- Carmen Electra

Keep this simple equation in mind when doing your summer shopping:

Great Pair of Leggings + Simple tops, tunics of dressing x some up to the minute inexpensive accessories= A very happy, very comfortable shopping guru with mad cash left to spend on yummy strawberry cheesecake flavored ice cream (I just can't get enough of it!) or whatever other vice you may have :)

White Here, White Now

White has always been a tricky color.

It always looks crisp and clean in the magazines and yet when we buy white, here is what tends to happen:

Situation 1:
We vow to take care of it, washing it only with other whites.
Then reality sets in and due to lack of time or just plain laziness, they end up in the wash with your hot pink underwear or those never before washed dark denim jeans. This then turns your white into either a pale pink, or a light shade of smog. The “formally known as white” top gathers dust in the closet (we feel too guilty throwing it out, I mean we JUST bought it and have yet to wear it)...

Situation 2:
We buy cheap white tops and bottoms, figuring "hey it’s cheap, for sure I’ll wear it" (why, oh why, do we lie to ourselves so?). Then to our amazement, we try them on and realize “oh my” we can see right through the shirt to our belly buttons (not cool). The transparent top is pushed far back into our drawers. Ignorance is Bliss.

Situation 3:
We buy a white tank top, we love it and we wear it all the time. No but really, we wear it alllll the time. We are so attached to it that it would almost feel like cheating if we were to buy another white tank. Then the white tank is no longer really white. You find yourself matching it with more, oh how shall I say, dusty colors in your wardrobe. Then your roommate threatens to throw it out as she feels you really can afford to fork over the $10 to replace what is now the color of an old mattress.

Situation 4:
We buy a white summer dress and freak every time we go by a park bench for fear of attracting dirt or other unsightliness to our bums. We wear the dress with a combination of pride and apprehension. We suddenly mistrust the weather network, developing a constant fear of rain (see 2nd sentence of situation 2). We also find ourselves wondering if a car will carelessly pass by and splash us with a puddle, leaving us muddy and vexed (a bad combination…very bad).

These are a few of the negative, or shall I say interesting situations we go through with the white garment.

However, on the bright side, there is nothing like a crisp white shirt. It has the power to simultaneously say I am ready for a business acquisition yet I will make time to have a crab salad lunch with you at your Hampton’s home. Nothing says I summer on the French Riviera like some white linen slacks. And be honest, how hot is a simple cotton white dress (lined of course) with some crazy accessory (i.e.: Grecian sandals, bangles or a few layered necklaces)? Exactly: it’s very hot. So through thick and thin, we stick with white, accepting the awkward moments but also relishing the good ones (kind of like with a long term boyfriend). You can count on it when you just want to chill and wish to avoid it when you are feeling fat.

The only item left to master in white…the Holy Grail, if you may, of all that is white garments, is the white bathing suit. Not there yet, and neither are my thighs.

Get your White at:

BOOK THIS LOOK- Kerry Washington

Kerry looks great here. The short dress shows off her legs. The shoes are understated and yet complete the outfit seeing as the dress does most of the work. This goes to show you that even a shapeless dress (ie the summer 07 piece) can be sexy if you wear it the right way. The clutch is key. She does not have a purse strap on her shoulder that will take away form the shape of the garment (Kerry must have a fantastic stylist). Oh and before I forget: heels and flowing hair are a prerequisite.

Tory Burch Flats

If you have not heard of Tory Burch, well now you should. She is this pretty neat designer that has the fahhbulous & simple pieces with special touches. She has managed to combine sophistication at an affordable price (if affordable is $300 for a dress by the way).

In any case, I covet her tops and her flats, I covet them deeply. Tory has managed to merchandise herself with much success and her logo is becoming more and more recognizable (see below).
Along my merry strolls in any McMall, Canada, I have come across replicas of her flats.

They have sprouted at Transit for $49.99 (see below) and Payless for $34.99. Do you have any idea what this means in shop talk?

Tory flats cost $195.00. If you buy the Transit ones, this leaves you ($195.00-$49.99)= $145.01 of extra shopping money!

So in the end, fashion theory being what it is, you just made $145.01, which you obviously have to spend as it was not planned on being saved right?

With all this financial logic flowing through my veins, I should have stuck to banking ;)

Oh and by the way, I have provided some eye candy for your perusal (ie: Tory Burch pieces) so you can feel as strongly as I do about her designs.

Simply stunning...

BOOK THIS LOOK- Kate Bosworth & Christina Applegate

With all these bright blues and greens we have been seeing everywhere, you would think that brown would be to blah. The bright whites are hot and black is eternal...but brown? The stars may know something we don't: brown looks nice with a tan, amazing with gold grecian flats and hot with some white linen pants. In the end, brown is not such a bad choice afterall.