Paris is known for having the most prestigious and established designers. Many of my usual favorites disappointed and others were lukewarm. These are my picks for the best collections at Paris Fashion Week. 

A.F Vandevorst F/W 12.13 Paris

An Vandevorst and Filip Arickx's collection has a duality of both softness and strong tailoring. The duo used a combination of silks, knits, fur and velvet. The trench coats and jackets oppose the softness of the silks. The accessories are a major aspect of the collection. The hats and scarfs that obscure the model's faces and the lovely leather boots. 

Ann Demeulemeester F/W 12.13 Paris

Ann Demeulemeester's extravagant collection was one of my favorites. I love the sharp structural silhouettes of the leather pieces.  The collection brings a sense of a warrior with its feather like hair and the deconstructed element in the clothes. Ann brought a bit of color with her addition of electric blue.  

New York and London both had strong offerings from established designers, however we did see some excellent collections from many unknown and up and coming designers. Here is our round up of our favorite collections from London and New York Fashion weeks. 

Marc by Marc Jacobs - New York

For us Marc Jacobs is usually a hit or miss but when it comes to his diffusion line, Marc By Marc Jacobs he leaves us wanting more. The most recent line is a mix of school girl and military themes. We love the cute flat boots and the full skirts, topped of with a vibrant red lip. The menswear feature strong, tailored coats. 

Preen - New York

Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi create beautiful strong silhouettes with a feminine touch. At times the collection could be minimalist. However Thornton and Bregazzi's touch of floral patterns and beading add a romantic touch to the sharp cuts and color blocks. The collection speaks of a sophisticated and feminine woman and definitely keeps us interested. 

    

Recently we have been incredibly busy with school work but I did get time to try out some new recipes. I really love to cook and bake but I rarely have the time. So this past week I took time out to try out some baked recipes. I come from a family that loves to bake, past relatives have even been bakers for their small towns! Typically I bake cakes or cookies etc. but I have never tried to bake homemade bread. I figure now is a good a time as any. I found a simple recipe online for Challah Bread or egg bread. 

The recipes is very simple to follow, the only problem I ran into was the braiding of the bread. However once the bread was out of the oven, one can not discern much mistakes in the braiding. The bread is rich and delicious and slightly sweet. It is perfect to eat with just about anything. 

       Head-to-toe black has gotten kind of a bad rap over time. Used as a symbol for mourning or to evoke a general mood of apathy, the connotations associated with the color black has caused some to shy away from wearing too much of it. The tides are turning though, and the influx of black on black looks being captured by street style photographers and championed around the net is helping to shape a new view of it. The look is extremely modern and sleek. It's never boring when different textures and cuts of fabric are paired together and adding a single hue of color into the mix is another look we are fond of. It's flattering for all body types and style aesthetics, whether you prefer your style masculine or lady-like, minimalistic or embellished. So the next time you scan your wardrobe for something to wear, why not embrace your dark side?

   We love statement jewelry so naturally when I came across Maria Piana's beautiful creations I was in love. Also being a bit of a nerd and loving all things medieval, Piana's jewelry really made an impression.  Piana works as a dentist by day and by night creates her masterfully crafted designs. Piana's use of metal and her ability to mold it are skills that show how her day job has influenced her designs and mediums. Piana's armor like jewelry evokes a sense of strong femininity and power. The jewelry makes any woman who wears it feel confident and strong. I also love that the jewelry isn't conventional, it is on the border of wearable art because of its sculptural features. Since Maria's stunning collection is over our budget, we scooped out some cool inexpensive (well some at least..) pieces and have outlined our favorites below:

These pieces have a certain element of duality, they convey a feminine spirit while being inspired from a protective masculine garment. The joint armored ring is one of my favorite rings that I found, I love that its simple, and plate armor like. Most rings I found were over decorated and ornate, something that I'm not interested in with this specific jewelry trend. The collar necklace is obviously something we love, Stephanie has already shown her budding collection. The collar has a regal quality to it, that can transform an outfit.  The cuffs are all reminiscent of a vambrace, that is the part of plate armor that protects the forearm. The cuffs are a cool addition to an outfit with their sleek and metallic finishes. The Nara gold bracelet stood out to me because it reminded me of scale armor. The jewelry is a perfect balance of wearable art and a medium to express my closet nerdiness. 

-Silvya

Image credit: bloodygray.com

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

              The collar necklace isn't really something new and it's something that I've been admiring from afar for a while now. It's sleek, elegant, and adds a futuristic edge to any outfit. I tend to gravitate towards a simple wardrobe void of many patterns or embellishments, and the collar necklace is the perfect thing to add interest without being too loud. Stores in my city didn't seem to buy into the trend, as I couldn't find them anywhere! My luck finally came when visiting a flea market one day where I picked up these two beauties.

             For the past few seasons I've been enamored by studs or spikes of any kind. You could have covered anything in studs and I would have probably been coveting it. I've gotten over it a bit now, and I no longer want to cover everything I own in them. But that isn't to say I don't admire them, I just prefer them in smaller doses now, like in this bracelet from Charlotte Russe. 

                 If I were to be only allowed one style of shoe for the rest of my life, that shoe would be a black ballet flat. They are without a doubt a staple in my wardrobe. Most days of the week you can see me in them, and I have about five pairs of worn out, well-loved black flats in the back of my closet proving my commitment to them. They are really the least demanding shoe in the world. They have no laces to tie, no heel to trip over, and they work with 98% percent of the clothes in your closet. I picked these up yesterday at Target. They represent everything I look for in a ballet flat. For me, ballet flats should be plain, without bows or flowers or any other silly frill. That is not to say these don't have details to admire; they are just quieter, like the snake skin finish or the way the edges dip in slightly on either side. To me, simple never looks cheap.

                        Almost every non-clothing product I've bought lately has been affiliated in some way with roses. It's something that went unnoticed until one day, when I found myself sipping rose tea while wearing Smith's minted rose lip balm, and having just applied Thayer's rose toner. I suppose you could say it's an accidental obsession, but nonetheless I can't get enough! That can especially be said of the rose lip balm that I've been applying religiously as of late. It is far more effective at combating dryness than the typical chap stick, and I like the subtle shine it gives the lips.


What are some things you can't get enough of lately?


--Stephanie

            Silvya and I have been spoiled with some unseasonably warm weather as of late, which is making us yearn even more for the return of breezy spring days. Unfortunately for now we must settle for a few days of bliss before the chill sets back in. To counteract our winter blues, we've decided to look ahead wardrobe wise and start planning for spring. For us, to have a good look it's essential to start off with a good foundation for your clothes to go on. This means kicking off our spring planning with our desired make up and skincare routines for the upcoming season. For some it may seem silly to plan something like this out, but with all of the recent articles about the 'french' way of dressing in a carefully planned wardrobe of luxurious staples it only makes sense to do the same for everything else that goes on your body. If you assemble your wardrobe carefully you will never look at your closet thinking you have nothing to wear, and if you approach your beauty routine with the same critical eye, you will never leave the house not feeling your best. Pictured above is a summary of my winter beauty purchases from Chanel including two varnishes in Peridot and Black Pearl, Stylo Yeux waterproof eyeliner in Ebene, and Rouge Allure Velvet in  L'Exubérante. 

From top left: Marc by Marc Jacobs, Carolina Herrara, Derek Lam

Bottom Left: Christian Dior Haute Couture, Dolce & Gabbana, Giles

                  A look at the Spring 2012 collections provides much inspiration for those looking for a rejuvenation of their beauty routine. Silvya and I combed through the collections to find the top six looks we felt embodied the feeling of summer best. It was very refreshing to see that for the most part the looks created at the Spring collections were not elaborate transformations but rather simple enhancements that allowed the model's natural beauty to show through. The smokey eye or bold lip has been admired and coveted for a long while, and while the idea of a mostly bare face can unnerve many, I find the look modern and elegant. Some may look at the shots above and say that it is an unrealistic representation, that going au naturale can never look so polished. Au contraire! The secret lies in carefully chosen and applied products that create maximum impact without giving away you've put effort into your face. This is the look both Silvya and I plan to sport this upcoming spring and summer and I have already started penning my product wish list to help achieve this look.