Spring 2015 Trend: Ranger School

From Michael Jackson's slew of slim-fitting jackets to Olivier Rousteing's Balmain Army, the fashion industry tends to look to military uniforms for inspiration. This spring, however, this seemingly masculine fad has received a feminine make-over. If the pepto pink background wasn't enough of an indication, Marc Jacobs's collection of voluminous skirts and structured duster coats, all of which adorned with oversized gold buttons, was a telltale sign that army chic would veer ladylike this season. For Sacai designer Chitose Abe, the secret to embracing this season's troop motif was infusing feminine textiles: sheer paneling and floral prints were mixed with a traditional olive green that is militia-ready. While some designers opted for girly shapes and fabrics, others used shorter hemlines to give the classic uniform a ladylike twist. When it comes to designing masculine-inspired pieces for the modern day woman, No. 21's Alessandro Dell' Acqua used accessories to give each look a modern, yet girly, flair. With the help of pretty canary shoes and a belt to cinch the waist, dress that could've doubled as a shirt for a boy scout was fit for a lady. Craving a sexier alternative to this trend? Rag & Bone's Marcus Wainwright and David Neville offered the perfect solution. A bomber vest and up-to-there shorts are key ingredients for a daring summer getup. But if you're searching for an ultra glamorous way to sport this trend, look no further than Ralph Lauren's show. Whether paired with bright, silky tops or loads of jewels, the New York designer proved that military garb is just as suited for the runway as it is the battlefields.

Marc Jacobs Look 3 

Sacai Look 38

No.21 Look 1



Rag & Bone Look 26

Ralph Lauren Look

1. Acne Studios 2. Zara 3. Manolo Blahnik 4. Karen Millen 5. Marc Jacobs 6. Band of Outsiders 7. J.Crew

Becoming an excellent soldier, let alone deeming yourself worthy of a Purple Heart, requires strength, courage, intuition and patriotism. Fortunately, sporting an army-inspired ensemble is much easier. Though unearthening your fitted military jacket is an easy, and economical, way to participate in the fad, there are many pretty pieces to feast your eyes on this spring. And from elongated vests to tailored shorts, this trend will appease any style savant's wallet. While you may be wary about this sartorial phenomenon, finding a flattering and feminine way to wear this trend is easy.  Cursed with a complexion that repels earthy neutrals such as khaki and olive green? Opt for a tailored piece in a subdued navy or black. Let's also not forget that there's a fine between a stylish, sophisticated ranger and childhood scout affiliate. Juxtapose your rough and tough apparel with luxe,feminine accessories: a sleek pump or extravagant pearl earring is a surefire way to up the sartorial ante.

Will you be joining the fashion forces this spring? Sound off below!

xx

Favorite Pre-Fall 2014 Collections (Part 2)

Just when you think Pre-Fall is over, the interim season unleashes a slew of show-stopping collections. You already checked out some of the hottest picks, but there's a whole new group that's waiting for a well deserved swoon fest (in no particular order, of course). Shall we swoon, ladies and gent? Oh, we shall.

1. Jonathan Simkhai

This collection is person for the style savant who wants to show off her body in a classy manner.  Forget jewel tones and neons, Simkhai is bringing sexy in our two favorite neutral shades: black and white. My favorite take home tips for looking hot? Sheer panels, sporty menswear, subtle cutouts, and tasteful crop tops.   If you really can't stand a completely black and white collection, the finale's dashes of ice blue is very sultry. Style.com's Lauren Sherman said it best: "Really, a Kanye West-styled Kim Kardashian would look great
in this stuff."(Photo)

2. Ralph Lauren

Two words: ultra luxe. From slinky evening gowns to draped skirts galore, to lounge-worthy sweaters, this collection is nothing short of divine!  But that's not all these threads did for the fashion community.  In one traditional fashion show, which is impressive for this season, the Americana style legend teaches us how to rock a monochromatic look. As this collection shows, the key is in mixing and matching different fabrics. Silk with cashmere and a dash of fur? Yes please! (Photo)

3. Derek Lam

As the resident king of cool,  Derek Lam is certainly on his way to becoming a bonafide sportswear phenomenon. Not only does this collection welcome a variety of color combinations and texture mixes,  Lam also brings forth a wearable collection with a multitude of pieces: dresses, coats, culottes, and even a playsuit. In true Lam fashion, every separate and look is undeniably relevant and chic. Plus, it's the perfect way to prepare for autumn. (Photo)

4. Elizabeth and James

Whether it's The Row or Elizabeth and James, design duo Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen always wow with slender silhouettes, pops of interesting prints, and a "boy meets girl" aesthetic. This collection has "cool fashionista" written all over it.  Tough the clash of plaid and floral is very Givenchy RTW AW 2013,, you have to admit that it spices up an otherwise solid ensemble.  The funky prints mixed with the clean shapes makes this collection something minimalist will consider a worthwhile wildcard while ethereal goddesses will use these pieces to tame down their wardrobes.(Photo)

5. Alexander Lewis

Breaking news: navy is the hottest neutral out there. Don't believe me? Take a look at Alexander Lewis''s Pre-Fall collection. From monochromatic looks to a strong dose of the hue in plaid prints, navy ran rampant. Though a mere shade isn't enough of a reason to love a collection, the boyish pieces are incredible. Languid bomber jackets? Yes. Printed trousers? Of course. Relaxed shirt dresses? Thank our lucky sartorial stars. But don't write this off as a standard menswear inspired collection: the designer claims he was inspired by a time when sexiness was sought after, but subdued. Between the high slits and sultry cross necklines, it's a well executed idea! 

6.Cédric Charlier

As this collection proves, reliving the past is not always a bad thing. While the metallic- neutral mélange is very Proenza Schouler RTW SS 2014 and the graphic prints scream Céline RTW SS 2014, Cédric Charlier gives these major spring trends a seasonal twist. Jackets reign superior and mixed in are some nice noir threads. Redundant? Sure; however, there are some fads that are so cool, you can't get over them in a mere season. Metallics and graphics? Hopefully, they'll stay around for a few more months. Gatsby was right: you can repeat the past.

So, spill it: which collections are you loving? I'm dying to know! 

xx

The Weekly: She Let Me Wear My Chain and My Turtleneck Sweater

 First thing's first: Your favorite Trendologist (I'm really happy with this new name) is going to FASHION WEEK. I am so excited; it's a dream come true and I cannot wait to blog about it. New York, here I come, in a weekish!

Anyways...I've seen a really awesome coat trend on the streets of Boston: toggle coats. 

I don't have one, but I think it's an absolute must for the upcoming months. What I like about these toggle coats is that they are the perfect medium;  they're not too heavy, like a good eskimo coat, but not too light, like a simple sweater.

And the toggles make the jacket look so refined and chic. In addition, they look fabulous on boys and girls. I remember wishing my boyfriend purchased a toggle coat in London. It didn't happen but a girl can dream, right?

Photo Cred

I'm loving this toggle coat from Urban; the uber fitted look is really interesting and unexpected when paired with the toggle closing.  A plain white tee, jeans, some sick Ray-Bans  and some riding boots would make this a casual and enviable look for anyone.

Photo Cred

  I love this Ralph Lauren one too! The combination of red, black, and tan is so refreshing! Unlike the Urban one, this is way more traditional in length.

Photo Cred

I AM OBSESSED WITH THIS!! Cape+toggles= nothing's better than this. The tan and brown is so ethereal and I love love LOVE the fringe on the bottom.

Photo Cred

This sweater is also the perfect take on the trend if you want to save a few bucks. The crisp white looks awesome with the fur lining on the hood, which is so fierce.

That was some good fun...now onto the weeklies! 

The looks were really disappointing this week, but I have a few.

• Jennifer Lopez strutting (Haute Hippie and Louboutins): I'm so smitten with this look; I've never really seen a tan and silver combination before, but I'm a fan.  If you look at it really closely, the whole is actually quite sloppy; however, it has the ability to look tre chic and really put together. HOW DOES SHE DO IT? I also love how the sparkles is this look isn't too in-your-face. She looks like goddess, which apparently she's the new ambassador to Venus razors? Hmmmm...
• Helena Bonham Carter at the Santa Barbara Film Festival (I-wish-I-knew): What I love about this look is how she looks both eclectic and put together. And the shoes match (she's going to get a lot of that for a very long time). The natural makeup with the black outfit is also really chic and clean. Yes, clean.

xx

New York, New York

I've been so damn busy, I haven't even had a CHANCE to sit down and blog about Spring Summer 2011 RTW for New York. Of course it all started with New York's incredible fashion night out: my floormate told me yesterday that some of her attending friends saw ANNA WINTOUR there! Jealous? Absolutely!! Oh how I wish I went to school in New York so I  could attend this fabulous outing and even participate in the SCAVENGER HUNT.

TOO JEALOUS.

Anyway... onto the actual shows. Some of the New York ones were a little too minimalism for me (I HATE HATE HATE minimalism), but I did love a plethora of them, three in particular. Why not one BIG ONE covering New York Fashion Week?! Good? Good.

Photo Cred: Vogue.com

Ralph Lauren, who lives in my same Hometown...throwing it out there, is such a fashion genius. He always does a wonderful job and his creations, from Ralph Lauren to Polo, are loved by many people with different styles. I personally feel like his Ralph Lauren collections typically have a western edge to them and his SS 2011 RTW collection was no different. This collection was completely cohesive, with the frequent white pieces and fringe invading the runway.  I loved this combination: white is so clean and fringe is so wild.  He did it absolutely right: although he added some plaids, blues,  and sequins, majority of the collection was filled with browns and neutrals. In order to make it exciting, he added fun elements: lace, fringe, ruffles, interesting sleeves, THE WORKS. And I LOVED the finale. The silver gown was absolutely gorgeous, and the belt made it cohesive with the whole collection and gave that Ralph Lauren je ne sais quoi. With forty years under his western belt, it's absolutely incredible that he can still create classically innovative clothes and successful runways!

Photo Cred: Vogue.com

Jason Wu. How Could you not love Jason Wu?! He's such an ingenious designer, Michelle Obama would know. His use of creativity combined with a slice of femininity is so now and I adore it. And this collection is no different. I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS. Like this nude and navy dress? The color scheme is so unexpected but so awesome at the same time. I love his dimensional flowers and tiered layers. I frequently think of a fashion show as incorporating the same fabrics throughout the whole collection. But Jason Wu did something different: he used a bunch of different fabrics- some more sheer than others- but maintains a common silhouette and details that makes a cohesive show. I thought that he did an awesome job switching from dress to pants. Like that suit with the ruffled bandeau? LOVE. Everything that was there was exciting and envelope pushing in SOME way. I just love love LOVE Jason Wu and, in my personal opinion, he's going to be a legend.

Photo Cred: Vogue.com

If I ever go to any kind of high fashion gala or an award show, I am wearing Marchesa. I'm such a fan of Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig's work: it is just a combination of everything good in the world. I always look forward to seeing the Marchesa collection because I just know I'll LOVE it. So obviously I was blown away by this presentation.  When I do these Runway Reports, I look at the whole collections' thumbnails and write about it from there. But with this show, I looked at all of the outfits multiple times because they completely depict what fashion is. Fashion is beautiful wearable art. It was an actual challenge to pick out my favorite because they are all SO SO SO BEAUTIFUL. Maybe Marchesa doesn't provide the most cohesive collection, but I don't necessarily see that as a bad thing in this situation: every single look is 100% unique: the silhouettes, colors, fabrics, necklines, hemlines, "fashion elements", EVERYTHING. It's seriously a smorgasbord of heaven. Even the playsuits are something to actually DIE for. Yes, there constant fashion drama and formation of the show is a bit repetitive, but there's no dying that they do what they do BEAUTIFULLY.
This may be one of my absolute favorite collections. Too far? NEVER.

xx