Vogue's Guide to Spring 2011

Although the first snow has not even fallen yet throughout most of the country, Vogue's Guide to Spring 2011 has been finalized.

Here are my favorite collections of the best Spring 2011 collections:

Lanvin

Michael Kors

Jil Sander

Proenza Schouler

A complete breakdown of the collections and SO much more on Vogue.com!

Another SALE!!!!

J. Crew is ruling the season with great sales!! Today is the last day to get 20% off ALL SWEATERS! At least take a look...
J. Crew Sweaters

I need to update my Merino Turtleneck Sweaters and the vintage navy color is to die for.

Anthropologie's New Location!

Yesterday, Chicago's Anthropologie store on State St. moved down the street to Chicago Ave, in between Michigan Ave and Rush St. It is one of my favorite spots in the loop, right next to Ralph Lauren and the RL Grill, and across from the Water Tower Plaza.

111 East Chicago Ave.

Today I went in and I think that it is now my favorite Anthropologie store! It has a small space on the ground floor and is gigantic downstairs!!! It is not the towering three levels that the American Girl Place occupied, but I personally think the two-level basement layout is awesome! It's as if the store goes on forever downstairs. It holds so many clothes, home decor, and is complete with an accessories lounge. This location also sells shoes in-store! The sale room is the largest I've seen, though it was a little difficult to get around in the crazy traffic. Being the second day opening, the busy traffic is understandable.

My first walk through, I took inventory of the things I liked and where everything was located, every room and every corner. The second walk back upstairs I choose my favorites and took them to a mirror in the back of the store (less crowded), because there was no way I was going to wait in the at least 15 person dressing room line. I also noticed that they were featuring Anna Sui dresses and Sonia Rykiel tops! I believe that they are celebrating Anna Sui's 30th Anniversary. This is the Anthro store to check out!

Here are some of my favorite pieces from today:

First Whisperings Dress $138

-love the hippy style, it would be so cute with rustic boots

Anna Sui Feature: Black Walnut Dress $498

-so gorgeous

Zoetrope Cardigan $238 

-a little too pricey for a cardigan, but I love it and am waiting for the sale!

Wildest Dreams Top $98

-I can't get enough leopard, especially in these colors

Stippled Canvas Top $98

-this does not fit my personal style, but it's so pretty I would make it work

Tyndall Coat $248

-I've been thinking about this coat since I first saw it, I love fur (faux fur)

June, July, August Dress $69.95 (was $148)

-great, slimming pattern

Icing Age Jacket $79.95 (was $148)

-fur, fur, fur! and a great fit!

Crinkled Mini Bag $118

-super soft and great for evening

I can't wait to go back when it's less crazy, and I can really look around!

Best Dressed

Vogue's Best Dressed list was released for this week, with a wide range of looks and styles. The list, appropriately titled Rule Breakers, included many styles that should have a label of "Be Careful"; however,  these style icons proved they know how to make things work. Here are some of my favorite looks on some of my personal style icons:

1. Carey Mulligan in Proenza Schouler dress and YSL shoes

This mustard-olive color looks beautiful with her skin tone and hair.

2. Sienna Miller in Topshop pants and sweater, Prada shoes and bag

The pants have the perfect balance of girly blush color and boyish fit. I am in love with the Prada shoes, they are so pretty and edgy at the same time!

7. Sarah Jessica Parker

The black booties and deep blue coat really compliment each other. The purple scarf pulls out the textures of the rich blue velour and bow-tied booties. This is an unexpected color combo done excellently. Plus, her hair is tucked under the scarf, which I always think is so relaxed chic.

9. Mary-Kate Olsen in Balenciaga shoes

Where do I start with this outfit? Ok, the fur! This black, horse-hair looking fur was used a lot in blazers and dresses for Mk and Ashley's Elizabeth and James collection. I love it on the shoulders of the jacket, it is such a dynamic statement! Her handbag is so sleek (it looks like vintage to me!) My great-grandmother had a handbag that I now have that resembles this one... I love it. This is such an exciting head-to-toe black look!

Check out the complete list at Vogue.com

SALE

Only three days after J. Crew released new apparel for their fall collection, they are giving 20% off ALL outerwear!!! No promo code is needed and this includes everything new!!! How much more can I possibly love them??! After all, I've been dreaming about the Capella coat that is now in route to my cloest...

Make sure you have the essentials, or get them now! The sale ends Sunday, October 24th.

J. Crew

Mail Mail Mail

I am anxiously awaiting my first purchase from ASOS! After a few months of getting a feel for the site and brand, I finally placed my first order at the end of September. I decided on an interesting piece that was referenced on the Zoe Report: a black knit turban. I love it and cannot wait to receive it!

Thanks Rachel for featuring it!

ASOS.com

MUST-HAVES: Join the Crew

New arrivals are now available at J.Crew stores and online today! And they have added some MAJOR must-haves to the list for fall and winter. The pieces I have selected are modern, but not trends. Trends, as you know, fade. Your wardrobe should always be timeless, and these pieces will be great options forever!

First, the Merino Dore Sweater! It is an edgy version of the always classic Jackie style cardigan, with pockets! This piece can be worn in so many ways, such as over a fun dress, with jeans, or under a fur vest. They are offering great colors in this style. I am always a fan of black in everything, but I think the gold buttons on white is beautiful as well. Both can easily be the "grab-and-go" sweater. It also comes in a very cool blue, which is a great color for pairing with neutrals. The charcoal buttons on the blue are fantastic.

Merino Dore Sweater

Stripes have been rocking since spring, and don't be hesitant to bring them into your fall wardrobe. Though stripes seemed to have gone in and out of style, I think they have been a staple since Gabrielle Chanel wore the Fisherman's uniform that started it all. J. Crew's tissue turtlenecks are a necessity every fall. So thin and soft, they are perfect for layering. This season, they have come out with a black and white thin stripe tissue turtleneck: GENIUS. 

Stripe Tissue Turtleneck

The Capella Coat is my favorite piece and is on my list for winter! The main reason: it comes in CAMEL! Camel was all over the fall/winter runway, and it is so chic! It looks gorgeous with black, amazing with navy and charcoal, so clean with white, and so cool with denim. I have been looking for an affordable camel coat that is more exciting and sleek than a peacoat, and this is it! 

Wool Cashmere Capella Coat

As always, a black blazer is an essential. The tuxedo jacket is a great way to spice up the standard button-up blazer. I am usually more of a menswear blazer fan, but something about the tuxedo style screams menswear with a feminine fit. 

Tuxedo Jacket

This season lace is making a statement. This dress is the perfect balance of sexy. It also comes in navy with black lace, which is such a chic color combo! I personally think the pale pink and black lace looks like a night-gown. You would have to be careful how you styled it. Maybe with a black leather jacket or menswear blazer would balance it out. The half-moon detail is also very modern chic.

Lace Shift Dress

Statement jewelry is the best way to make and old look new. Chunky jewelry is the easiest, especially with a mix of metals and stones! J. Crew has so many options... here are some of my favorites:

Twisted Pearl Necklace

Crystal Cluster Cuff

* I love that is looks like armor... so sleek.

Crystal Mix Ring

J. Crew has also released a new handbag collection: the Gemini. This collection is very minimalist and comes in super cool neutral. The light gray is my favorite, I'm obsessed with all things gray. The satchel seems like your best bet for size, plus it is a satchel! Satchels are so easy and become your best bag friend. They also make any look look effortless.

Gemini Satchel

Gilt-y

Anxiously waiting for the Gilt Groupe vaults to unlock today!!! The Paul and Joe Sister collection of accessories is on at 11am. I am loving the variety of satchels, super chic and functional for toting around the city. Vena Cava is also available with my favorite pieces being the Dos Equis cotton print skirt and the short sleeeved Viva leather jacket. Once again, their hand-made prints are textured and very cool.

Paul and Joe Sister

Vena Cava

Classic Girl

One of my favorite style girls, Kate Bosworth, was spotted in L.A. on Saturday night looking true to her classic side. Her hair looks great as its getting longer... and her penny loafers are so classically cute. I'm not so sure how much I love the rolled jeans with them, maybe a pair of ankle jeans instead.  Anyways, I need some pennies. I like their boyish charm.

McQueen Me, Please!

For my birthday this year, I received a very special gift: the new book of Alexander McQueen's masterpieces. Alexander McQueen: Genius of a Generation is perfectly fitting for the designer who created complete scenes with one piece looks. Looking at his creations are like looking at a scene in a film, atmospheric at every turn.

The book includes many looks from his magnificent portfolio, and many of which I had never seen. Of course, my favorite look was included: the whimsical chic of a fairytale land.

Get the book!


This past February, I was in L.A. the night that Lee McQueen pasted away. The city felt erie and deserted on Valentine's Day morning. It was as if the city, the world stood still. That day felt extremely strange. The night that Mr. McQueen passed has become extremely significant in my life. This was the last night that I spent with one of my best friends before she passed eleven days later. Surprisingly, many of you know of her. My aunt, Dawnie B, was the killer whale trainer killed at SeaWorld last February. She had met my mom and I for a girls' weekend in L.A. We were a very special trio of friends, my favorite trio.

Alexander McQueen's death hit me very hard, even that day. He was someone who seemed to have everything I could ever dream of. I also felt this way about Dawn. Both of them have been important inspirations in my life in different ways. Both remind me to do what I love, and love what I do.

Alexa Chung Follow Up.

Speaking of Alexa Chung and her fabulous line with Madewell, here are recent photos of her at the Chloe 2011 Spring show in Paris this past week. Her look is amazing as usual, those shoes are to die for with the neutral tans... so are those lanky limbs!

Think Fast

The brilliant collaboration of Madewell and Alexa Chung at the beginning of September is still on my mind... I have visited her collection almost every week, maybe more, since it has come out. Even after buying the Peter Pan collared velvet dress, I keep going back. It's a great mix of simple essentials and old English charm. Take a peek before it sells out! Plus, each purchase comes with a fun little surprise!

Here are some of my favorite pieces:

*the navy jacket pockets are wonderfully slimming!

Pheobe's at it again!

As Fashion Weeks all over the world have come to a close, the spring ready-to-wear collection trends will be popping up everywhere in no time. One of my all-time favorite designers, Phoebe Philo, has worked wonders on the runway again for Celine. Although I have always been obsessed with her collections, which have shifted from the girly days at Chloe to a sleek, sophisticated look with a 70s bohemian twist since joining Celine, this time she has come at us from a sharp, but surprising point.

Her Spring 2011 RTW line has taken a turn to sharp, clean workwear. The simplicity of the line also has a slight Asian inspiration with long structured kimono-like pieces. However, the star piece of the line seems to be the exposed zipper pant. Riding low on the hips with a wide leg, the pants are extremely wearable and still so chic. The wide-leg pants still carry some of Philo's 70s bohemian mark, which is why I love them so much.

After going to the Celine Website, I found that the Spring line lookbook had much more than what was shown on the runway. I instantly became obsessed not only with the pants on the runway, but the black and taupe color scheme dresses in the lookbook that are so modern and instantly classic. The dress that mimicks a coral color shell with a black belted, taupe and black skirt makes me want it to be spring already, (and I am crazy about fall/winter clothes and Christmas). I am in love with the small floral printed dress with the tight-hip belted silhouette.

There is so much more to gush about so why don't you take a look:

Celine Showroom

Always with love,
Melissa

Dear Everyone

As a fashion and style lover, I have decided to create a place where I can analyze the trends, news, designers, and influential people that I get inspiration from.

I know that there are many style blogs out there, but I hope that you may find special inspiration from mine.