Spring Fashion Trend-Motifs

Spring Fashion Trends

Starting around September, granted this is while I was still in LA basking in the warm weather of SoCal, I was starting to be tired of the heat, and dying for winter to come so I could pull out all my fluffy scarves, big wooly coats, and shuffle around it my furry boots. (boots with duh furrr) But now that winter has been around for a while, I'm starting to resent the cold, and hating having to bundle up.  As cute as it is, my peacoat is tres heavy, its definitely time to start dreaming about sandals and bright spring colors. Its still too cold here in Taiwan to wear, but hey a girl can dream right?

Let's Talk Trends

For the Spring 2013 season, we're seing a lot of different types of looks, style wise. Its rather hard to say exactly what style is trending, so I don't want to exactly call it a "trend", but its more along the lines of a trending motif, in which each designer interpreted their own way and us, as fashionistas (; gets to choose our own preference, so I'm going to call it trend-motif. 

The first trend-motif I'm seeing a lot of from my research, aka me reading style magazines and blogs, is the whole black & white look, otherwise known as the contrast look. However, like I said, each designer seems to take black & white contrast into their own hands, therefore maintaining the designers own artistic style. My personal favorites for the Black & White Contrast trend-motif is from Chanel and Ralph Lauren, as shown below. 

Chanel Spring 2013 & Ralph Lauren 2013

Photographs do not belong to me, I only "own" the collaging of these photographs. 

The second trend-motif that's popular for the spring is the whole sheer veil-like look. We're seeing a lot of organza, chiffon, and silks, creating this translucent effect, in which I find can be a little intimidating, this is a trend you're probably not going to want to wear if you're going to grub! :P However, despite the down side, its very gorgeous and sexy in its own classy way. My favorites of this trend-motif come from Missoni, but I do love the Roberto Cavalli, Rag & Bone, as well as the grungy style of MaxMara as well, see some of my favorites bellow!

MaxMara Spring 2013, Rag & Bone Spring 2013, Roberto Cavalli Spring 2013, & Missoni Spring 2013.

Photographs do not belong to me, I only "own" the collaging of these photographs. 

The next trend-motif is mixed media, or as most style pages like to call it, the Collage Look. I am usually not a particular huge fan of this style, because I'm not a big print/pattern wearer, I find that some prints can be rather unflattering on, however recently I have been testing the waters a bit, and I am starting to like prints more and more. My favorites for this trend-motif is from Bottega Veneta and of course when it comes prints and patterns, Proenza Schouler is going to be in my favorites! I also really enjoyed the Julien David RTW line, check them out below. 

Bottega Veneta Spring 2013, Julien David Spring 2013,  & Proenza Schouler Spring 2013.

Photographs do not belong to me, I only "own" the collaging of these photographs.

This next trend-motif makes me smile! It can be so classy, yet it has that flounce of fun! They call this one the "Flouncy" trend, basically big bouncy ruffles! My favorite from this section is Balenciaga, half because its a line that was still under Nicolas Ghesquiere's reign, and the rest because he's a genius and took the peplum style to a-whole-nother level of sexy. However, though totally different styled, I also very much enjoyed the House of Gucci's take on this trend-motif with its bright beautiful shiny colors and high collar look, its absolutely stunning and fun! I also really loved Givenchy's take too, so I had to include a small picture of it! See below.

Balenciaga Spring 2013, Givenchy Spring 2013, & Gucci Spring 2013.

Photographs do not belong to me, I only "own" the collaging of these photographs. 

The next trend-motif is very business women looking, its not my favorite, I feel like every season there's this style no matter what, bold blazers, very feminist styled, suit-pants, blah blah blah. My least favorite part about it is just the idea that I look pretty silly in anything alongs the lines of blazers. However, I guess I can still appreciate the look right? However while I've been "appreciating" I must say I did fall in love with some! :D I'm not going to lie though, most of it was from Saint Laurent, and definitely the fact that its a little fun and a little witch-like was my luring!

Saint Laurent Spring 2013 & Mulberry Spring 2013.

Photographs do not belong to me, I only "own" the collaging of these photographs.

Thanks for reading guys!

Hope you've found this interesting and fun!

I had a good time picking out my favorites and talking about all this!

xo,

Shannon Marie

:-*

BLAIR WITHDRAWAL

Since I'm having Gossip Girl Withdrawals...

This post is dedicated to my style icon Blair Waldorf,

whom I grew up reading and watching, 

and is devastated that the age of Gossip Girl is over. 

Here are my favorite outfits from Season 6!

No.1

How can this not be in anyones top favorites? The gorgeous blue, the way it fits Leighton Meester, the entire reason she's wearing, the fact that Chuck Bass is marrying her? That's enough to make it up here! They could not have ended the series with a better dress. However, we mustn't forget to to give praise to Elie Saab for creating this masterpiece! And of course, a special thanks to Jennifer Behr for making this particular "Arielle" headband, and all the other handbands she designed, that Blair has worn over the years. Blair would not be Blair without them.

Dress, Elie Saab-2012-Couture. Headband, Jennifer Behr-Arielle Headband

No. 2

This outfit is from episode seven of season six. I love how it is reminiscent of her own Constance days, but at the same time very grown up and elegant. This one is in my top favorites because I think blair really looks stunning and it reminds me of how proud I am of her and who she has become. Additionally, its an almost all black outfit, bonus points in my book! 

Dress, Almost Certain its McQueen. Shoes, Christian Louboutin. Necklace, Louis Vuiton.

No.3

This outfit is everything I want for my closet. Although I'm constantly wearing black, and the majority of my outfits are black, I would die for this outfit, and I wish all my clothes were similar to it. However the only issue is I don't have a trusty ten digit trust fund like Miss Waldorf does, and to really pull a look like this off, its all about the quality of the clothing. So I'm still trying to find some quality yet affordable pieces! Meanwhile I shall drool over Blair. 

Blouse & Skirt, Moschino. Cardigan, Unknown Source.

No. 4

Although its Gucci and ICB, this outfit reminds me a lot of the new Prabal Gurung for Target line coming to Target this month! More so in the fact that theres bright greens and chartreuse + floral-like prints. Can you guess who's going to be online shopping this month all the way from Taiwan? Anyways, I think Blair looks absolutely stunning in bright colors and shirts with a scarf like tie in the front! Gosh I envy her gorgeous figure. She's perfect, not too skinny, yet definitely stunning.

Top, Gucci. Skirt, ICB. Headband, Unknown Source. Necklace, Unknown Source.

No.5 

Although this is an outfit I highly doubt I'll ever pull off, it is an outfit I love none the less. I love how Blair has so many different looks throughout the show, yet all of them fall together to present her as someone who's daring, elegant, classy, fun, and of course stylish. She wears trends beautifully, and even if its over the top, its never overwhelming. This outfit is such a hard outfit to wear, considering its pastels, pleats, and peplum. The three P's that not everyone can do, yet she does so effortless. ps. the shoes are such a cute touch! Props to Christian Louboutin. 

Shirt, Unknown Source. Skirt, Alice and Olivia. Clutch, Valentino. Shoes, Christian Louboutin.

No. 6

Such gorgeous fall colors. My favorite thing about this entire look is her hair and make up, but I still have to say that I'm very impressed with Jason Wu for being able to turn such a hard to wear color into such a gorgeous dress. However, I can't say I'm surprised that Blair pulled it off so perfectly. The Giada cardigan is definitely a great touch in toning down the outfit and adding even more of the fall motif! Oh and the bag matches so well! I'm pretty sure its a Bulgari, because I recently took a good look at Bulgari bags, because I'm so unfamiliar with them. Props to the stylist of Gossip Girl. xo

Dress, Jason Wu. Cardigan, Giada. Bag, Bulgari.

Thanks for reading!

I'm going to do it.

...

I can't help it....

I mean come on! Its a Gossip Girl Themed Post!!!

here it goes:

YOU KNOW YOU LOVE ME (;

XOXO

Shannon Marie

Fashion-Impossible