Style

Style - Beautiful or Bizarre

I've always had a huge crush on clothing that captures attention and stands out; I've never believed that a woman's wardrobe should be limited to one particular style or genre. And while I've been busy blogging about the benefits of wide-leg pants for Fall 2010, that doesn't mean that cigarette pants and skinny jeans aren't still fair game for the coming season. But a combination of the two?

Check these Jean Paul Gaultier kilt-leg pants. They're serious, right? JPG's kilt-leg pants have a knife-pleated kilt panel that wraps all the way around one leg and buckles on the hip to emphasize the flow of the pleats.

Dramatic much?

Wearing these pants is like wearing slim-leg pants on one side, and a maxi skirt on the other. I'm all about the 100 percent virgin wool and made in Italy quality. The leather buckled tabs are certainly chic, but I'm not sold on the idea of a kilt-leg pant.

Et tu?

_{Jean Paul Gaultier kilt-leg pants, $1735, Saks}

Style - Get the Look

Hannah MacGibbon was evidently inspired by the easy glamour of the 1970s when she designed the Chloé Fall 2010 Ready-to-Wear collection. Filled with several shades of beige, — brown's more sophisticated and stylish lighter colour, — the Chloé Fall 2010 collection is a definitely a good inspiration board that we should all follow for our own Fall wardrobes. Part seasonal style selections, part classic clothing for the ages; I hope you find as much inspiration in today's post as I did sorting through images from Chloé's Fall 2010 RTW collection.

1. The scoop-neck tank: An everyday essential, I love a silk-crepe tank for many reasons. While it's definitely mandatory office wear — would any suit be complete without a proper camisole to complement? I think not! — a silk-crepe tank also acts as a luxury basic that boosts the look of your more casual closet offerings. Worn with jeans and a smart blazer or cardi, a silk tank offers a pretty and polished look. And who doesn't look good in a round scoop neck style? My sentiments exactly. Chloé silk-crepe tank, $585, Net-A-Porter.

2. Wide-leg pants: Isn't it funny how everything old is new again? To everything there is a season, and it appears the season for wide-leg pants in neutral hues is once again upon us. Like power shoulder pads and platform clogs (but more classic), beige wide-leg pants done in a variety of wool fabrics — think tweed, super 120s, and the like — are back for Fall 2010, and bigger than ever. For Fall 2010, the pants are 70s-style high-waisted, prettied up with little details like bows and double belt loops. The decidedly pale palette for pants is anything but boring; in fact, wide-leg pants are a sure-fire way to add some instant drama to your closet's clothing collection. Chloé high-waist tweed pants, $1115, Neiman Marcus.

3. Over-sized camel coat: Another amazing way to play with neutral colours for Fall 2010 is with a statement camel coloured coat. Featuring a near-seamless design, the camel hooded coat from Chloé's Fall 2010 collection is iconic. The style is elegant and understated; the cut is what makes the design pop. The front of the coat is open, making this style perfect for belting closed (the leather belt is included with purchase). For full-on 70s glamour, keep your colour palette consistent and wear this coat over other neutrals. Not willing to spend up to 5 grand on this number? You won't find the distinct look of this Chloé coat anywhere else, but you can shop J.Crew for a wool-cashmere coat in a similar colour. Chloé camel hooded coat, $4495, Saks.

Want more inspiration? Click here.

_{img src from Style.com}

Style - Beautiful or Bizarre

Oh, the irony.

A street style blog that's styled beforehand.

Makes perfect sense, non?

Especially when said blog is by one of the biggest designer names in French fashion history: Hermes. Hermes has launched J'aime Mon Carré (translation: I Love My Scarf), a street style site with lots of photos featuring models on the street wearing Hermes scarves in various capacities.

What does this new Hermes site feature? Models hand-selected from New York, LA, London, Paris, and Tokyo, posing whilst wearing Hermes scarves that are tied in various styles. The models appear in short videos; there's a video for every city represented. The Hermes J'aime Mon Carré site has 'Knotting Cards' that pop up with sketches and instructions on how to tie your Hermes scarf to achieve the selected style. There are close up images of each scarf, as well as details on material, price, etc.

The concept of J'aime Mon Carré is certainly interesting, and the site is definitely an innovative reach out to a younger generation of potential Hermes customers (though I know no teenaged girls who could afford a cent plis de miao or chasse en inde scarf). But I'm curious to know what YOU think: Are the pre-styled models and set up "street style" poses too fake?

Is J'aime Mon Carré by Hermes beautiful or bizarre?

Style - Get the Look

Apparently elastic waistbands are making a comeback. We saw several variations of the style during Summer 2009, and it appears the comfortable yet chic (open to interpretation) contrasting elastic waistband is here to stay (at least for another season).

From Rihanna doing a post-lunch street pose in an Edun silk-chiffon mini skirt with a contrasting waistband, to Rachel Bilson running errands wearing Express, to Clemence Posey playing pretty with Ed Westwick on the set of Gossip Girl in New York City, flouncy mini skirts with black elastic waistbands are the look du jour. And figuring out why really is a no-brainer: A contrasting waistband defines the waist and adds instant shape to any figure, frilly skirts with ruching and/or tiers balance out a mini length, and elastic waistbands are comfortable (duh).

• As seen on Rihanna, Edun's tiered silk-chiffon mini skirt features a multicoloured grey print. The dull colour of the skirt gives it more edge, and the tier details have raw edges to complement the tough-girl feel. It's 100 percent silk, slips on, and hits mid-thigh. A fantastic piece to wear now and transition into Fall. Edun tiered silk-chiffon mini skirt, $350, Net-A-Porter
• I'm loving Diane von Furstenberg's iteration of the mini skirt with a contrasting elastic waistband. DVF's storm rose mini skirt is more form-fitting than A-line. The feminine number features a watercolour artistic floral print, some serious ruching, and soft silk fabric. Probably the most classic of all three skirts featured her, this DVF mini skirt will wear well and look smart with sheer black stockings and a blazer for Fall. Diane von Furstenberg Storm Rose mini skirt, about $286 CDN, Saks
• The most affordable and budget-friendly, check out this Express mesh tiered mini skirt. I've never been a fan of mesh, however here it's done right. The tiers of this skirt add to the shape, making it appear A-line. This skirt is completely synthetic, so it's definitely not your most comfortable option to wear right now. That being said, once cooler weather arrives, you could wear this Express skirt over tights, however given the mesh material, you might have some issues with static and sticking. Express mesh tiered skirt, on sale $19.50, Express