What I Wore: Vintage Dior with fast fashion Celine inspired coat

The sun was setting so I had to take these photos fast.

The photo which inspired this outfit was Nicole Kidman at Cannes.

I liked the longer coat & my Zara Basic version came to mind.

The jacket

Navy wool blend, with "attached" sleeves, deep front pockets and a front gold full length zip.

This jacket has interfacing on all the pattern pieces - it gives it a very structured appearance. This aspect appealed to me.

STYLE TIP: This jacket has no waist. Do not try this at home unless you are tall or slim. 

This jacket is a Celine inspired.

Resort 2012 in a leather version

Spring 2013 in a spliced leopard version

I paid $159 for it last winter.

I love the way it has gold piping on the inside where the lining is attached. This is all the way around the jacket.

The scarf

Perhaps I should call this, the wrap....

A Christian Dior 80s wool 130 cm square.
I bought this from a designer recycled shop in Sydney's Double Bay about 15 years ago. 

Its a camel & maroon colour, both warm tones but it also has navy & a checked pattern which attracted me. I have hardly ever worn it, but I think it worked with the coat.

STYLE TIP: As soon as you say 'I have hardly ever worn it" its time to ask why. That's the only way you will figure out how to not let it happen again.

In my case its because the colours are wrong for my complexion. The maroon & camel tones, male me look ill & because its pattern is so bold, it needs a striking partner to take over & help it to not kill my colouring. 

Why does it work?

1. The navy in the coat & the gold zip work back well with the scarf.

2. The drama of the coat matches the drama of the scarf.

STYLE TIP: I like to wear a scarf under a jacket/coat as it saves on dry cleaning the coat as often.

The top

A white cotton Trenery tee which for some reason I havent yet figured out is the most flattering tee I own. A very handy piece.

The pants

Hammock & Vine cargos from David Jones. $90 I think.

The brooch

A jacket that is stiff in its fabric begs for a brooch.
I found this small one (4 cm diameter) from Chanel at the Melbourne Collins St store. A few years ago.

A friend joked that I had found religion - yes, I worship at the later of Chanel.

The necklace

A Kaboodle fob watch chain necklace for $35.
It has a gunmetal finish - not quite gold but not too silvery either.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=507174192681713&set=a.413180332081100.95062.145520518847084&type=3&theater

The rings

It wouldnt be a SIA post without the rings.

You've met both these before. 
A Family Jewels multi ring ring & a Martin Margiela "scarf" ring.

Both are silver despite the gold aspects of the remainder of the outfit.

The shoes

My Roberto Cavalli for Target ballet flats.

See you tomorrow.

Yellow - perfect antidote for a dreary day

Must be a fashion editor..

Stephane Rolland "paintwork"

Lanvin

Too pretty

in Dior

wowza!

another Celine bag pop!

Roberto Cavalli

Another cute one...

Oscar de la Renta SS 2013

Victoria B wearing a grown up school raincoat with lime Birkin

Dr Lisa Airan in Givenchy

Jessica Alba in Ralph Lauren

Toning it - adjacent colours on the colour wheel

 

ADORE

Cozy

Yellow lights up the basics (chambray, white jeans, striped tee)

Yellow with more basics

Very cool with silver

Shalom Harlow in US Vogue 1995

Wishing we were here!

Poor little shoes - a tale of pain & suffering

Do you know that when most people meet you, the first thing they look at is your feet?
They they look at your face, then they fill the gaps in-between.


Keep that in mind, as you read my post.

On the bus on Saturday, heading into the city, I saw a woman, probably around 40, in a black & white spot dress (non designer), a small Dior fabric brown toned bag & well applied face. Her (non designer) tortoiseshell sunglasses completed her look.


She looked deliberate in her efforts to look good (I am big on being deliberate - see my previous post).


I didnt notice any of the above however.....until I spotted her shoes.
Then I had to look at the rest of her.


Here are the snaps of her shoes....






They were a bronze heel with an ankle strap and diamantes at the toe strap and the ankle strap.

The bronze was picking up the Dior bag quite well.


But what killed me was the condition of the shoes.
These babies had been abused.
They were crying out for DOCFS (Department of Community Services for Shoes).






The leather on the back above the heels was scraped.

The bronze leather heels were scraped.

The cap on the heel was almost chewed off.

The bronze leather strip along the side of the shoe was worn and marked.

The bronze leather toe strap was marked.


Now take another look at the leather right on the front toe tips - it looks white. No, that isnt a camera flash trick. It isnt your monitor. Its the actual shoes. Their bronze tips were literally scraped away by wear so the underside if the leather was exposed - looking furry white.

I felt so bad about these babies. I really did.




I doubt that that these were her travelling shoes & when she got to the venue she would slip into something better.


If only she had started looking after these about a million years ago, they never would have reached this condition.


The rest of her looked nice & deliberate but she had totally forgotten to be deliberate about her shoes.

Dont let this be you.

So what could she have done?


1. Re-capped the heels

2. Re-soled the soles (eg: Topey sole)

3. Neutral cream all over the bronze leather and the inner leather to soften and make it more supple.

4. Used Scotchgard

5. Boot polish in a pewter/bronze to lift the colour back & remove the scrapes.

6. A bootmaker could unglue & re-line the front toe area - but that would be expensive - probably around $30-$40.





Even I wouldnt have been able to resurrect these babies. But if she has cared for them all along, they never would have reached this condition.

Please be nice to your shoes.

Shoes that go with nothing & therefore go with everything

Sometimes a statement piece is so unusual, so "strange" that it doesnt go with anything in your wardrobe, but that exactly why it looks amazing with everything.

A few years ago we were all talking about the "IT bag". Well the "IT bag" has now been replaced well and truly, by the "IT shoe". That is, its all about the shoe. Weird but wonderful enough to be like Switzerland (refer previous post)!

So, my lovelies, here is some shoe eye candy for the pleasure of your eyeballs.......

Christian Dior - I cant wear turquoise and gold near my face - so these are perfect for me.



Valentino Garavani - hello Lover!



Dries Van Noten -I dont have a bohemian bone in my entire body, but the colours in these sing out to me.



John Galliano - I'd wear these even if he is likely to go to jail



Casadei - I'd wear these with jeans



Balenciaga - this is SO typical Balenciaga, its lustworthy



more Balenciaga, more lust



Celine clogs - amazing on the basis that they are too ugly for words



Giuseppe Zanotti - clear crystals in theory go with everything, but these are so tacky so we will wear them with everything.



Charlotte Olympia - not only is this UK brand legendary, but these cute zebras are too cool for school!



Ladies - dont forget about my previous post about a coloured shoe drawing the eye downward.

So please dont forget to visit my earlier post on ways to minimise this downward eye movement yet still wearing your lovelies!

Ashley Olsen - back to Ashley's true self

Here is the final day of my Olsen twin rant....all is now right with the world...order is restored as night follows day....Ashley has gone back to her true self....witness here a couple of very recent New York photos....

cleanly cut suits, Breton striped tees in navy/white....tied back bun hair (or was she having a bad hair day, yikes?)....yes, our Ashley is back....know thyself





and the test of tests....gowns at the 2011 Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala.....

voila the Mary-Kate...boho chic (thats an interesting combination of words!)....dress by Givenchy, shoes by Nicholas Kirkwood & jewelry Van Cleef & Arpels.



and voila the Ashley....in vintage Christian Dior Couture.....back on track.....phew....